Tucker's three-pointer nips Flames in the end

(2/13/03)

Despite trailing for most of the second half, Wisconsin-Milwaukee pulled out a critical 81-78 Horizon League victory over UIC before a packed house at the Klotsche Center Thursday night.

Clay Tucker nailed a three-pointer with 23 seconds left to put the Panthers (20-5, 11-2) up 79-78. UIC's Jonathan Schneiderman missed a three-pointer with six seconds to go, and Dylan Page made two free throws with 3.8 seconds left for the final margin. The Flames (15-7, 9-4) were unable to get a shot off before the buzzer.

With the victory, UWM passes Butler for first place in the Horizon. The Bulldogs fell to 8-2 in conference after a 73-63 loss at Loyola. UIC remains in third place, 1½ games ahead of Detroit.

Martell Bailey's 8-foot jumper gave the Flames their final lead at 78-76 with 41 seconds left.

UIC led 67-59 with 7:56 left after two Cedrick Banks' free throws, but the Panthers battled back. UWM tied the game at 76-76 on a free throw by Dylan Page with 58.5 seconds left.

Tucker made the best of his final regular season home game by pouring in 28 points on a variety of inside and outside shots.

"Tucker made some hard shots," UIC coach Jimmy Collins said. "And he got hot there [at the end of the game]."

Ronnie Jones added 21 points and Page contributed 15 for the Panthers.

Banks had 28 points for UIC, including 18 in the first half, and Armond Williams added 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Kyle Kickert played key minutes in the post, tallying nine points and nine rebounds against his former team. Bailey finished with five points and eight assists.

UWM jumped out to a 12-4 lead as Jones made his first four shots from the field, but the Flames rallied to take a 17-15 edge after two consecutive layups by Banks.

The game was up-and-back for the remainder of the opening half until Aaron Carr nailed a last-second three-pointer to put UIC up 40-37 at halftime.

UP NEXT: The Flames return home for a non-conference game with Indiana-Purdue-Ft. Wayne Saturday at 3 p.m. The game can be heard on ESPN Radio 1000.