Comeback effort falls short, season over for UIC

(3/19/03)

UIC entered its opening-round NIT game with the third-best three-point shooting percentage in the nation.

However, the Flames’ accuracy abandoned them when they least needed it as Western Michigan slipped past UIC 63-62 at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich. Wednesday night.

The Flames, a 41 percent three-point shooting team, made just 2-of-12 for the game. Western Michigan’s Anthony Kann also posed a problem for UIC, scoring 19 points and grabbing 13 rebounds for his third straight double-double.

Mike Williams’ tough turnaround jumper with about 2:30 left gave the Broncos (20-10) a 60-59 lead.

UIC had plenty of opportunities in the final two minutes, but Armond Williams missed a close-in shot and WMU’s Robby Collum made two free throws for a 62-59 lead. After Bobby Madison missed two free throws with 21.8 seconds left, Jonathan Schneiderman missed a three-pointer on the Flames’ next possession.

Kann made the second of two free throws with four seconds left before Aaron Carr hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to make the final score agonizingly close.

“We lost to a really mentally tough team,” UIC coach Jimmy Collins said. “We had time on the clock. We took bad shots and hurried shots.”

UIC (21-9) trailed 41-31 with just under 15 minutes to play, but rallied to within 50-48 on Carr’s transition basket with eight minutes left. After the Broncos (20-10) took a 58-53 lead on two Kann free throws, Banks finally hit UIC’s first three-pointer with just under four minutes to go.

With 3:03 left, Joe Scott made a layup and converted the subsequent free throw to put Flames ahead 59-58, but UIC went scoreless for the next three minutes.

WMU shot just 28 percent from the field in the second half and had just two field goals in the final eight minutes, but still held on. UIC struggled at the free-throw line, again, shooting just 40 percent for the contest.

UIC jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the game’s first three minutes thanks in part to two baskets by Cedrick Banks. WMU answered with seven straight points after a three-pointer by Ben Reed.

WMU took its first lead of the game at 22-19 on Collum’s three-pointer with 7:30 left in the first half. The Broncos led 29-21 before allowing the Flames to pull within 29-27 at the half.

Banks and Armond Williams each scored 18 points to lead the Flames, while Banks grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Carr finished with 10 points.

Mike Williams contributed 17 points, while Collum added 14 points and Reed had 10 for WMU, which plays at Siena Sunday night.

“It was a good run,” said Schneiderman, who concluded his Flames career. “It was a lot of fun, but it’s hard to end on a game like this with a lot of what-ifs.”