VALPARAISO, Ind. (Feb. 25, 2024) – The UIC women's basketball team (16-11, 9-7 MVC) rolled over Missouri Valley Conference opponent Valparaiso (5-20, 4-12 MVC), 82-59 in a Sunday matinee at the Athletics-Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Ind. The Flames were led by junior forward
Makiyah Williams (Chicago, Ill./Trinity/Marquette), who recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Graduate student forward
Keimari Rimmer (Chicago, Ill./Proviso East/DePaul) chipped in 18 points in just 19 minutes of action.
COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH ASHLEEN BRACEY
"It feels great to get a road win. Winning on the road is hard in the Valley and this is a good team. Valpo forces you to prepare differently, but we're starting to click at the right time. We played at a really good pace both halves, which hasn't been the case the last couple of games. I'm proud of where we're at and I'm excited to get back on the road this week."
COMMENT FROM JUNIOR FORWARD MAKIYAH WILLIAMS
"I think I played well today. I got going on defense first by being defensive-minded and that's how the offense came. I'm just happy I was able to help my team on both ends of the floor."
FIRST QUARTER (21-12, UIC)
- Rimmer came out aggressively, scoring eight points in the opening three minutes of the game. The graduate student's hot start forced Valpo to call a timeout at 7:14, as the Flames claimed an early 8-2 lead.
- UIC would ultimately open the game on a commanding 15-2 run, smothering the Beacons on defense, causing turnovers and numerous scoreless possessions.
- Junior guard Sandra Frau-Garcia (Pego, Spain/Casper College) capped the game-opening run with a three-point play at 4:52.
- The Beacons went on a run of their own with seven consecutive points ending with a second chance three-pointer at 3:20. Junior forward Ky Dempsey-Toney (Franklin, N.J./Franklin) put an end to their run as she made a strong move in the paint just under the three-minute mark.
- Rimmer scored the last bucket of the quarter with 20 seconds remaining, recording more than half her team's points (12) in the first 10 minutes of play.
SECOND QUARTER (41-27, UIC)
- Junior guard Krystyna Ellew (Chicago, Ill./Taft/Wisconsin) got to the front of the rim and drew the "and-one" just 20 seconds into the second quarter. With her free throw, the Flames led 23-12.
- After two quick baskets from the Beacons near the eight-minute mark, Frau-Garcia made her way to paint, stopped and popped for a short jumper (26-17). Her five points already surpassed her average of 2.7 points per game.
- UIC controlled the lead, but Valparaiso kept within reach. At 4:25, Williams hit a three to silence the crowd, bringing the score to 35-23. She later added a putback basket in the final half-minute of the period.
- As the clock wound down, Valparaiso had the final possession and Leah Earnest made one of two from the charity stripe to trim the Flames' halftime lead to 41-27.
THIRD QUARTER (63-41, UIC)
- Valparaiso came out for the third quarter and connected on an open three to cut down the lead to 11 (41-30), but senior forward Jaida McCloud (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) came down the next possession and showed her veteran post moves in the paint and UIC reclaimed their 13-point lead at 9:04.
- After a six-point run for the Beacons, the margin was cut to 12, but at 5:05, Williams got an "and-one", bringing the score to 49-35.
- Near the four-minute mark, Frau-Garcia stole the ball and found graduate student guard Dais'Ja Trotter (Louisville, Ky./Seneca/Cincinnati) cutting to the basket for a lay-in (52-35).
- UIC began to pull away when a three from Ellew gave the Flames a 20-point lead, their largest of the game at the time.
- The Beacons connected on a three with under 30 seconds remaining (61-41). Then Williams went coast to coast, spinning in the paint, and made a lay-up as the buzzer sounded (63-41).
FOURTH QUARTER (82-59, UIC)
- UIC picked up right where it left off, as senior guard Danyel Middleton (Chicago, Ill./Bolingbrook/Marquette) made her move to the paint and hit a fadeaway jumper to extend her team's lead to 65-41.
- Ellew hit her second three of the game at 8:13, stretching the UIC lead to 72-46.
- The Flames scored back-to-back baskets, started by Williams' dish to Dempsey-Toney at the four-minute mark. A steal then led to a wide-open layup for Trotter for a 30-point lead (80-50).
- Freshman Megen Sanaj (Chicago, Ill./Latin School of Chicago) came in and collected a bucket, while senior Keona Schenck (Somerset, N.J./Franklin), junior Bailey Lutes (Cuba City, Wis./Cuba City), senior Tara Green (West Helena, Ark./Central/New Orleans) and freshman Erin Henry (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North/Example Academy) also saw game action.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- Ellew shot perfectly from the field (3-3 FG, 2-2 3FG, 1-1 FT), scoring nine points in 18 minutes of play.
- Senior Kristian Young (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) had five assists against the Beacons, raising the guard's career total to 412 (sixth in UIC record book).
- The Flames went to the charity stripe 16 times in the third quarter alone, which is more trips they take to the line on average in a full game.
UP NEXT
The Flames will prepare for a four-day trip to Iowa, taking on Drake at 6 p.m. (CT) Thursday before visiting Northern Iowa next Saturday (March 2) at 2 p.m. (CT). Both games will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats at
UICFlames.com.
TICKETS AND MORE
Tickets for all remaining 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 day.
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).
#FireUpFlames | #ChicagosCollegeTeam
