UWM gets step up on Flames

WILLIAMS’ RETURN A SPARK, BUT NOT ENOUGH

(12/5/04)

During the “Lighting of the Flame” ceremony before Saturday night’s game, the torch used to ignite the flame went kaput before it could be lit.

Just like UIC’s five-game home winning streak over Wisconsin-Milwaukee two hours later in yet another physical affair in this series.

The Panthers closed the game with a 14-4 run to claim a 75-67 victory over the Flames at the Pavilion in both teams’ Horizon League opener. The contest featured 50 personal fouls, 27 called on Milwaukee, and 59 free throws.

“Their toughness and experience got the better of us,” said UIC coach Jimmy Collins (pictured). “They got a lead and our inexperience showed. They looked like men tonight. Hats off to them.”

Junior forward Adrian Tigert’s putback with 4:39 left broke a 63-63 tie and got the Panthers (5-0, 1-0) on their way. He converted another layup with 2:57 left to put UWM up 67-64.

“A game like this works to my advantage,” Tigert said. “I love a physical game like this. I'm not as athletic as a lot of players. I like the contact, so I know where my opponents are.”

Fourth-year junior Chris Hill, from Young High in Chicago, hit a tough runner in the lane and then two free throws to put the Panthers up 71-64 with just over a minute to play and the game was basically over to the delight of the busload of UWM students that made the trip.

The Flames had just one field goal in the last six minutes.

“Our defensive effort was terrific,” UWM coach Bruce Pearl said, “and we kept them off the boards in the last five minutes.”

Tigert finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Hill added a game-high 18 points off the bench. Junior forward Joah Tucker chipped in with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Cedrick Banks led UIC (2-3, 0-1) with 16 points on 4-of-12 from the field.

Armond Williams made his return to the team after completing his coursework required for graduation this week. Collins said that the team knew about Williams’ return “three days ago.”

Williams (pictured) had 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting with eight rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench, but also had two offensive fouls and missed an alley-oop pass that would have been an easy layup.

“It felt great to be back out there, but I was a little rusty,” Williams said. “I need to get back into the gym. I haven't clicked with the younger guys yet.”

Perhaps, in a little bit of gamesmanship, Pearl and the Panthers weren’t made aware that Williams was going to play until about an hour before the game. Pearl found out when “our A.D. [Bud Haidet] called me.”

“But it didn’t matter,” Pearl said. “We have to play whoever is out there.”

Freshman guard Karl White capped the Flames’ double-figure scorers with 11 points. Jovan Stefanov had a team-high nine rebounds.

UIC came out quickly with a 7-0 lead, which included a Banks’ three-pointer, but the Panthers fought back. The Flames took a 26-19 lead with 7:18 left in the first half after a Banks’ free throw.

UWM battled back to take its first lead of the game at 37-36 on Boo Davis’ three-pointer from the right wing with 36.7 seconds left in the first half.

The second half was a seesaw battle with no sustained runs until late in the contest. White hit a three-point basket that bounced on the rim three times before falling to give UIC a 59-56 lead with 9:01 left.

However, Hill answered with a three of his own with 8:13 to play to tie the game again. Neither team held a lead of more than two points until the Panthers’ game-closing run.

UIC did keep Ed McCants, who some say is the favorite for the league’s Player of the Year, at bay. He had just five points on 2-of-13 shooting.

“If you told me that me that McCants was 2-for-13, I thought we’d lost,” Pearl said.

Collins said that the Flames still have some work to do.

“We’ve got some work to do,” Collins said. “We’re not in the best of shape right now. They ran us ragged.”

How a big a victory was it for the Panthers?

“It’s so early in the season,” Pearl said. “As Cedrick Banks put it last year, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, and they got us in the end [at the Horizon League championship].”

POOLE TWEAKS ANKLE: Forward Elliott Poole was slowed in the second half when he came down awkwardly on his right ankle three minutes into the second half, trying to rebound.

He came down the floor and attempted a shot before being fouled by Derrick Ford. He left the game at the point and was never the same the rest of the night, finishing with four points and five rebounds.

With the Flames having the week off from game action for exams, Collins said Poole “should be fine.”

Milwaukee also had an injury of its own as reserve Rob Sanders separated his left shoulder late in the first half. Pearl said that it could sideline Sanders “for awhile.”