CHICAGO – Despite a season-high 25 points from Damaria Franklin, the UIC men's basketball team dropped a shootout to Wright State, 97-81, Saturday evening inside Credit Union 1 Arena.
 
Franklin was one of five Flames to finish in double figures. Zion Griffin scored 13 on an effective 5-of-7 shooting, Jalen Warren added 11 off the bench and the duo of Filip Skobalj and Kevin Johnson added 10 points each. The 25 points by Franklin are the most by the Chicago product while in a Flames uniform and ties his career high 25 which he set while at Tennessee Tech a season ago.
 
It was a blistering first half of basketball, as each team shot over 50% from the field. Franklin was heating up from the opening tip, scoring 11 points in the first 11 minutes of action to reach double figures for the sixth consecutive game and the 13^th time this season.
 
After a tight opening 13 minutes, the Raiders put together an 8-0 run to take a 36-29 lead with 5:15 remaining in the first half. Wright State's lead would grow to as many as 10 in the opening half, but a 6-2 run by the Flames over the final 1:17 would pull the halftime deficit back to six at 52-46.
 
UIC's hot shooting to end the half carried over to the start of the second period, as a 7-0 Flames scoring run put the hosts back within one at 56-55. Jace Carter kick-started the run with a driving layup before Franklin pulled up for a bucket before Griffin ended the run with a 3-point play. The momentum was short-lived, as Wright State responded with five unanswered to build a six-point margin.
 
The Flames used four consecutive free throws to get within striking distance of Wright State at 68-65 with 12:08 left, but a pivotal 13-4 run put the Raiders in front by 12 points with just over eight minutes remaining. The Flames would get within seven but were unable to close the gap any further as Wright State closed out the victory.
 
UIC, who recently completed a 3-0 road trip last weekend, heads back out on the road next weekend. The trip to Michigan begins Thursday at Detroit Mercy, with tip-off slated for 6 p.m. (CT).
 
News and Notes

• The 81 points scored by the Flames are tied for the most UIC has scored against a division I opponent this season. UIC also scored 81 in a road win over Milwaukee on Jan. 13.
• UIC swatted away six shots this evening, tied for the second-most in a game this year. Carter led the way with a pair while Griffin, Franklin, Johnson, and Warren all had one.
• UIC had no answer for Wright State's Tanner Holden, who had a game-high 38 points on 14-of-24 shooting.