VanderMeer, Flames outshine Prairie Stars

CENTER POSTS CAREER-HIGH 19 POINTS VS. UIS

November 14, 2007

Whoosh! photo UIC center Scott VanderMeer notched a career-high 19 points as UIS had no answer inside.

Scott VanderMeer proved that there’s more to his game that his imposing defensive presence.

The 7-foot junior center tallied a career-best 19 points, showing off a variety of post moves and mid-range jump shots as UIC whipped sister school Illinois-Springfield 81-55 at the UIC Pavilion on Tuesday.

“I can score,” VanderMeer beamed after the game.

And he did so efficiently, making 6 of 8 field goals and 7 of 8 free throws. He bettered his top scoring game by seven points – he had 12 against Milwaukee late last season. Oh, and he still had five rebounds and five blocked shots.

“We wanted to go through our big guys and we did that with some success,” UIC coach Jimmy Collins said. “We’ve been working hard with Scott on his offense. When we got him the ball, he didn’t disappoint us.”

VanderMeer wasn’t alone in providing the Flames’ offense. Josh Mayo, who scored a career-best 34 against Bradley last Saturday, had just 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting (3-for-6 on three-pointers), but he contributed eight assists, which led to 20 UIC points.

“I was pleased with the way Josh, who scored a lot of points the last game, came out with a LeBron James attitude and moved the ball,” Collins said.

Two other Flames posted double-figure scoring totals, Karl White Jr. (14 points) and Jeremy Buttell (13 points, team-high 10 rebounds). Buttell looked a step slow offensively and did not score in the Flames’ win over Bradley, but found a rhythm as he made 5 of 7 shots, including 3 of 3 from beyond the arc.

Whoosh! photo After going scoreless against Bradley, the Flames’ Jeremy Buttell found some confidence and netted 13 points, including three three-point baskets.

“I had a talk with Coach [Monday] and he told me I need to pick up some confidence,” said Buttell, the sophomore transfer from Texas Tech. “He has been around me enough to know I’m better than I showed Saturday.”

White was 6-for-11 from the field and hit two threes, while also doling out six assists.

Spencer Stewart had eight points and four assists, Robert Kreps also had eight points and Tori Boyd added six points for the Flames.

Collins said he was concerned about a letdown, but UIC (2-0) quickly quashed that notion. The Flames came out gunning, taking leads of 7-0, 13-2 and 26-8.

“It’s the kind of team that worries me from the get-go, because everybody thinks you’re supposed to win,” Collins said. “I was a little worried about us being down mentally. We came out and played with the type of spirit we needed.”

Buttell hit his first basket of the season – a three-pointer from the corner to UIC ahead 26-8 with 10:44 left in the first half.

UIC went dry for almost five minutes as UIS (2-3) went on a 12-2 run to close within 28-20 with 6:18 remaining before halftime, but the Flames heated up again with two baskets by VanderMeer and two three-pointers by Mayo to back up by 18 in less than two minutes. The Prairie Stars never challenged again.

The Flames led by as many as 22 in the first half before settling for a 47-28 halftime advantage. By the time Buttell got cooking again with back-to-back treys, UIC led 65-38 with 14 minutes to go. The Flames led by as many as 31 points in the contest.

Nick Livas scored with 18 points off the bench for UIS, which shot just 36 percent from the field.

UIC, meanwhile, looked in tune for the second straight game, shooting 53 percent for the contest and 54 percent (13-for-24) from three-point range. The Flames had 24 assists on 30 field goals and committed just 12 turnovers.

“The big difference this year from last is just the ball movement,” VanderMeer said. “There was no patience last year. We’re always making the extra pass and the guards are looking down low.”

Whoosh! photo Josh Mayo won the second Horizon Player of the Week award of his career.

MAYO PLAYER OF THE WEEK: For the second time in his Flames career, Mayo, the 5-foot-11 guard from Merrillville, Ind., was named the Horizon League Player of the Week. He scored 34 points on 11-for-17 shooting and 9-for-9 from the foul line in UIC’s 84-75 win over Bradley on Saturday.

Mayo also earned the honor in the final week of last season’s campaign after sinking the game-winning basket in a 51-50 victory at Loyola.

INJURY UPDATE: VanderMeer felt some back pain the second half, but he did return to the game. Collins said that VanderMeer’s back has periodically bothered him throughout his career, but it hasn’t been serious enough to sideline him.

Senior reserve forward Jeremy Dailey played just five first-half minutes after leaving with right-knee tendinitis. UIC spokesman John Jaramillo said that it wasn’t serious.

Senior swingman Robert Bush and senior forward Ebenezer Noonoo did not dress as they continue to heal from knee injuries.

FLAMES FLICKERS: UIC’s freshmen walk-ons, Alex Tkaczuk and Jimmy Harding, both debuted in the final four minutes of the contest. Neither player scored. Harding had a chance for a layup, but the shot was blocked by UIS’ Matt Reynolds. …

Redshirt sophomore Jovan Ignjatovic provided some solid minutes off the bench with Dailey injured and VanderMeer sore. Ignjatovic did not score, but grabbed three rebounds in a career-best 18 minutes. …

Word is that the Flames could be announcing some signings for the Class of 2008 as soon as Wednesday. Forward Jelani Poston and guard Zavion Neely have given oral commitments. …

The play of the game: Stewart, after some fancy dribbling to escape light pressure in the backcourt, whipping a pass inside to White for a layup with 1:20 left in the first half to put UIC up 45-25.