Flames' streak stopped cold against Sycamores

(12/23/02)

After losing by 46 points in its previous game against Murray State, Indiana State was looking for someone to take out its frustrations.

The Sycamores returned home and treated their guests, the UIC Flames, rather rudely in a 73-54 victory Monday night at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute, Ind.

Elgin graduate Marcus Howard had a Cedrick Banks-like performance, scoring 23 points and playing stiff defense. Howard shot 8-of-11 from the field in getting to his career-high point total. Howard also guarded Banks and held the Flames’ star to just 3-of-18 from the field and seven points.

“Marcus was a ton for them tonight,” UIC coach Jimmy Collins said.

The Sycamores (4-6) shot 57 percent in the first half and took a 36-31 halftime lead. Indiana State then started the second half with a six straight points to build an insurmountable double-digit lead. UIC never got closer than seven in the second half.

“We couldn’t stop them from what they wanted to do,” Collins said. “They were on fire.”

UIC (6-3), which had its four-game winning streak snapped, shot just 35 percent from the field and 27 percent beyond the three-point arc.

Howard wasn’t the only Chicago-area product to torture the Flames. Gage Park graduate Lamar Grimes had 10 points and Thornwood alum David Moss added nine points.

Aaron Carr tallied 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting to lead UIC, while Armond Williams chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds. Kyle Kickert added nine rebounds for the Flames.

The Sycamores worked out their frustrations, but the Flames experienced some of their own.

Collins added that the team playing its fifth game in 10 days wasn’t an excuse. “Fatigue had nothing to do with this. They gave us a old-fashioned ass-whipping.”