SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Jan. 6, 2024) – With only 1.1 seconds left on the clock, a potential game-winning layup from junior
Makiyah Williams (Chicago, Ill./Trinity/Marquette) rimmed in and out as the UIC women's basketball team (8-6, 1-2 MVC) came up short against Missouri State (9-3, 3-0), 51-50 on Saturday afternoon in a Missouri Valley Conference match-up at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Mo.
Williams led UIC offensively with 13 points, while two Flames posted double-doubles — senior forward
Jaida McCloud (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) had 12 points and 10 rebounds and graduate student guard
Keimari Rimmer (Chicago, Ill./Proviso East/DePaul) tallied 11 points and 10 rebounds.
COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH ASHLEEN BRACEY
"Really proud of our defensive effort overall. We just got into a little bit of a rut in the first quarter with scoring and defending, but we got it right for the last three quarters. I am really proud of my girls. They played a really tough 35 minutes of basketball. Obviously, we need to put 40 minutes together. Coming on the road, Missouri State is a tough place to play. We are getting better every game as long as we show up to battle and execute."
FIRST QUARTER (22-9, MSU)
- The Flames started off red hot from the opening tip, going on a 7-0 run. McCloud followed a second-chance bucket with UIC's first three-pointer of the game. Rimmer then added a steal and a fast break layup.
- After juking her defender in the paint, Williams sank a jumper in the paint to keep the Flames ahead by seven, 9-2 at the 6:03 mark.
- The Flames struggled to regain offensive momentum for the remainder of the quarter, not sinking a shot for the closing six minutes, as the Bears went on a 20-0 run.
SECOND QUARTER (27-21, MSU)
- The Flames' offensive dry spell ended seconds into the quarter when senior guard Kristian Young (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) went coast-to-coast for a layup at the 9:32 mark.
- After senior forward Danyel Middleton (Chicago, Ill./Bolingbrook/Marquette) converted her first basket, the Flames forced the Bears into a five-second call on the inbounds pass to create the turnover. That was soon followed by Young finding Williams open for a layup.
- Senior guard Sara Zabrecky (Munster, Ind./Munster/St. John's) got open in the corner for her first three-pointer of the game to cut into Missouri State's lead with 6:39 left in the half (22-18).
- The Flames clamped down on defense, forcing the Bears to miss 13 consecutive shots before their first make at the 1:42 mark from Jade Masagayo. That was soon followed by Middleton's second make of the quarter as the Flames kept it close before a three-pointer from Missouri State closed out the half.
THIRD QUARTER (38-38, TIED)
- Young collected her fourth assist of the game when she found Middleton open from beyond the arc to open up the half. The Flames kept it within one possession, 27-24.
- After grabbing the defensive rebound, Rimmer collected her second make of the game with a layup at the 7:33 mark (29-26).
- McCloud converted two foul shots to bring the Flames within one point entering the media timeout with 4:56 remaining, 31-30.
- After the Bears sank a mid-range jumper, Williams drilled her first three of the game from the top of the arc as the Flames remained within striking distance, 35-33 with 3:46 left.
- The Flames regained the lead after Rimmer's second steal of the game led to a transition basket at the 1:53 mark, 38-37. The Bears closed out the period with a made free throw to tie the game at 38-38 heading into the final 10 minutes.
FOURTH QUARTER (51-50, MSU)
- Williams became the first UIC player to break into double figures with an easy drive down the lane at the 8:41 mark as the Flames regained the lead, 40-38.
- McCloud added two more free throws for the third lead change of the quarter back in favor of the Flames, 42-41 with six minutes to play.
- Rimmer drove the lane and converted a three-point play to give UIC a two-possession lead, 45-41, at the 5:26 mark
- After a late 7-0 MSU run gave the hosts a three-point lead, Middleton found Rimmer open for the jumper as the Flames drew within 48-47 with 2:20 remaining.
- UIC then held Missouri State to a single free throw on its next four possessions and eventually it paid off, as McCloud was fouled on an inbounds play and went to the line for two shots with 18.6 seconds to go.
- After making her first free throw, McCloud couldn't make her second, but Zabrecky tipped the offensive rebound to Rimmer and UIC called a timeout to regroup.
- Out of the timeout, the Flames worked the clock down before Williams got the ball in the lane, spun by her defender, and converted a tough layup to give the Flames a 50-49 lead with exactly three seconds left.
- The Bears called two timeouts, then threw a long lob pass towards the basket that was well-defended and tipped off the underside of the backboard by a UIC player. However, the ball caromed directly to Masagayo, who laid it in with 1.1 seconds left, and the Flames called timeout to advance the ball into the front court.
- On the final play, junior guard Sandra Frau-Garcia (Pego, Spain/Casper College) throw a long inbounds pass to Williams on the left block. The Chicago native was able to put her shot up in time, but it did not fall as time expired.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- The Flames went 8-for-11 from the free throw line, with McCloud making the biggest contribution, finishing 7-for-10 from the charity stripe. The senior has made 28 free throws this season, third-highest on the team.
- After collecting two steals in the game, Rimmer leads the Flames this season with 29, putting her fourth in the Valley.
- Williams' 13-point performance extended her streak of scoring in double-figures to eight in a row. She ranks 12th in the MVC in scoring this season at 12.8 points per game.
- This is the 12th game this season the Flames have outrebounded their opponent, beating the Bears on the glass, 41-31. UIC has also yet to be outrebounded by an MVC opponent this season.
UP NEXT
The Flames return home next Friday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. (CT) for their MVC home opener against Northern Iowa (3-9, 2-1 MVC) at Credit Union 1 Arena. The first 500 students in attendance will enjoy free pizza at the Flames' "Dinner at CU1 Arena" event. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at
UICFlames.com.
Tickets for all UIC home basketball games can be purchased online through Ticketmaster and
UICFlames.com/Tickets, as well as through the UIC Athletics Ticket Office (312-413-UIC1) or by visiting the Credit Union 1 Arena box office on game night.
Passes to enjoy the Courtside Club at Credit Union 1 Arena for select UIC women's basketball home games (Jan. 14 vs. Drake; Jan. 21 vs. Illinois State; Feb. 4 vs. Valparaiso) are now on sale. Club members will receive a number of perks including early arena access, unlimited refreshments (including complimentary beer and wine) and a private lounge space with flat-screen televisions and theater-style furniture.
For more information or to purchase Courtside Club passes (single-game or three-game pack), contact the UIC Athletics Ticket office (312-413-8421; athleticsticketing@uic.edu) or send a request through the Courtside Club page at
UICFlames.com. Passes may also be purchased on game days through the Credit Union 1 Arena box office or the Courtside Club entrance located on the event level.
For more information on UIC women's basketball, fans are encouraged to visit
UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_WBB and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_wbb and @uicflames).
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