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Team effort pulls out win over Raiders MAYO’S 3 FORCES OT, FLAMES TAKE OVER February 19, 2009
After two misses and two team offensive rebounds, it turned out the third time was the charm as Josh Mayo nailed the tying three-pointer late in regulation, leading to a terrific team effort in overtime as the Flames scrapped out a 77-66 victory over Wright State at the UIC Pavilion. “It was one of the best team efforts we’ve had all year,” UIC coach Jimmy Collins said. “There was no question that everybody got involved. We had to be against a team (Wright State) that had won 16 of their last 20 games. We’ve been slowly coming together as a team.” The Flames (13-14, 6-11 Horizon League) trailed 61-58 with 22.9 seconds left in regulation when Collins called timeout to a set up a play for Mayo, the team’s leading scorer. As the play developed, Mayo found Buttell all alone in the corner with 10 seconds left, but his three try bounced hard off the rim back out to Mayo at the top of the key. Mayo fired up a three-point attempt of his own, but he also missed. The rebound was tapped right back out to Mayo at the top of the key. With his toes just behind the arc, Mayo fired again and nailed the shot with 2.4 seconds left to forge a 61-61 tie. “That’s the way we want to be,” said Collins of the effort of keeping the ball alive for the key offensive rebounds. “We want to be a team that never says die. All of that was team effort—the guys who had gone in and kept that ball alive.” Wright State (16-11, 10-6) had one final attempt to win in the regulation. A home-run, three-quarter-court pass landed in the hands of Cory Cooperwood, who brushed Buttell aside and drove to the basket, bowling over Spencer Stewart. Cooperwood’s bunny at the buzzer rimmed out as both Buttell and Stewart lay on the ground. UIC fans behind the scorer’s table were screaming for a foul on Cooperwood, while the Raiders’ bench nearly erupted in celebration before Cooperwood’s shot rolled out. “I was a little shocked that there was no call,” Buttell said. “On a play like that, you can’t expect a call. He just got a forearm on me and that was that.” The Flames took over in the extra period, though. After Todd Brown missed a shot on WSU’s first possession, Mayo found Buttell cutting the basket with a nifty pass for the lead. Seconds later, Robo Kreps came up with a turnover and hit a layup to start an old-fashioned three-point play. After a free throw by Cooperwood, Mayo hit a tough floater from the baseline with the shot clock running down for a 68-62 UIC lead with 2:06 left. The Flames were never threatened again and built as much as 13-point lead in overtime. Five Flames scored in double figures, led by Buttell and Stewart, who had 15 points apiece. Mayo and Kreps each chipped in 13 points and reserve forward Rob Eppinger scored 11 points.
“On my [shots], Mayo drives and everyone just looks at him. Somehow he was able to find me,” Stewart said. “We needed to just drive them and be aggressive, go to the basket. That was working for us tonight.” Stewart’s seven helpers were the most he’s had since the win at Vanderbilt on Dec. 3. “Spencer brings leadership and toughness and he’s a general out there, he knows where people should be,” Collins said. “It’s really, really good to have him out there. He makes things roll the way we want them to roll.” Buttell’s 15 points were a career-high and he also hit 3 of 7 three-point attempts. Most importantly, perhaps, he grabbed a season-best 13 rebounds as UIC dominated the glass, 46-34. “At the beginning of the year, Jeremy came back off some injuries and … Eppinger started in front of him,” Collins said. “He didn’t quit. He kept going. He worked and worked and worked—it’s a tribute to his work ethic.” Even the Flames struggled with their shooting in the second half, they made up for it in overtime. In the last two games, wins against Valparaiso and Wright State, UIC has looked crisper on offense. “That’s just us working in practice,” Buttell said. “The coaches have made the adjustments and we’ve made the adjustments. Coach [Collins] said in the locker room, ‘Never say die.’ We’re going to come work and that’s starting to show.” Brown led all scorers for the Raiders with 23 points, but he shot 1-for-7 in the overtime, accounting for all but of WSU’s field-goal attempts in the extra period. Cooperwood finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. UIC led by as many as seven in the opening period before the Raiders took the lead on a three by Cooper Land with 4:32 left in the half. The Flames fought back with the final seven points before the break, including a three by Kreps, for a 34-30 lead. UIC led for most of the second half, but the Raiders hung tough and pulled within 56-55 on Brown’s three-pointer with 3:15 left. After a miss by Stewart, N’Gai Evans scored his lone basket of the contest on a floater in the lane with the shot clock running down to give WSU its first lead of the second half at 56-55 with 2:16 remaining. Stewart hit a pair of free throws with 1:25 to go as the Flames regained a 58-57 lead, but Brown answered at the other end with a leaner while being fouled by Scott VanderMeer, disqualifying UIC’s 7-footer. Brown capped off the three-point play for a 60-58 edge with 53.8 seconds left. Mayo attempted 15-foot jumper for the tie, but he was bumped and the ball went out of bounds to WSU. UIC immediately fouled Scott Grote, who hit the first free throw, but missed the second, leaving the door open at 61-58 with 25.6 seconds left in regulation. It was the third win in four games for the Flames, who are finally starting to string together some positive performances. “That’s what we needed,” Stewart said. “That’s what we were looking for—some momentum—and get the ball rolling going into the conference tournament.” FLAMES FLICKERS: After scoring on his floater with 2:06 left in OT, Mayo crumpled to the floor in obvious agony, holding his left knee. He lay on the court for about two minutes before trainer Mike Gilmartin was able to help Mayo to his feet. Collins said after the game that Mayo hit someone “knee-to-knee” and he added. “We think that, through treatment, he’s going to be OK.” … Hustle points and smart play: UIC had 17 offensive rebounds to Wright State’s six and committed just 11 turnovers for the game. … Tori Boyd grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds for the Flames. … UIC was 25-for-27 from the free-throw line, led by Stewart's 8-for-8. Eppinger was called for an intentional foul with 6:13 left in regulation. Official Tim Hutchinson ruled it a “hard foul,” giving Cooperwood two shots and the Raiders possession. Mayo moved into fifth place by himself on UIC’s all-time scoring list, passing Greg Olsen (1967-71), who had 1,629 points. Mayo now has 1,642 points, just nine shy of Chuck Lambert (1971-75) for fourth. Lambert held the school record for points until current Flames color commentator Kenny Williams broke the mark in 1994. … Helping hands: Mayo is now fourth all-time in assists with 234 and Stewart is ninth with 277. Stewart recently passed current UIC assistant coach Tracy Dildy and Cedrick Banks on that list. … UP NEXT: UIC plays its final regular season game at the Pavilion as it hosts Southern Illinois as part of the BracketBusters event. The Salukis are 11-16 overall and have dropped three straight and five of six. Kevin Dillard, a Homewood-Flossmoor grad, leads the way at 12.0 points per game. SIU will be missing defensive stalwart Bryan Mullins, who is out with a stress fracture in his right foot. Game coverage will be available on the Horizon League Network, starting at 7 p.m. Audio coverage with the Flames’ voices, Adam Levinson and Kenny Williams, can be heard on uicflames.com. Before the game, seniors Josh Mayo and Scott VanderMeer will be honored. |
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