Jan. 9, 2003

Box Score

CHICAGO - Cedrick Banks scored 35 points and Illinois-Chicago outrebounded the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 47-25, en route to a 102-92 win Thursday night at the UIC Pavilion.

Dylan Page and Clay Tucker scored 26 points apiece for the Panthers (11-4, 3-1 Horizon League), who lost for just the second time in their last 12 games. Tucker became UWM's all-time Division I leading scorer with a first-half layup, passing Chad Angeli for the lead. Tucker now has 1438 career points.

Aaron Carr added 19 points for the Flames, who collected 23 offensive rebounds thanks to superior quickness and athleticism.

"I think UIC's athleticism and quickness were the differences in the ballgame," UWM head coach Bruce Pearl said. "You could tell right from the beginning. They beat us to loose balls and owned the backboards.

"We got outplayed. It's not a difficult loss when you get outplayed. They were a better basketball team tonight."

The game was marred by 54 fouls, plus four technical fouls, including a pair that saw UIC coach Jimmy Collins ejected with 6:12 remaining and UWM head coach Bruce Pearl pick up his first technical foul of the season with 1:43 remaining. Three players fouled out of the game and the two teams combined for 72 free throw attempts. UIC hit 38-of-45 free throws after entering the game shooting just 56 percent from the line.

The game was tied at 55 after a Tucker layin with 12:33 remaining but the Flames took control from there. They took a five-point lead at 60-55 following a Banks three and pushed it to 69-60 on a Banks steal and dunk with 8:55 remaining.

UWM's chance to come back came back came when Collins picked up his two technicals with 6:12 remaining. Tucker hit 2-of-4 free throws, then scored on a jumper to pull the Panthers within 75-68. But Banks hit back-to-back three-point shots to give UIC an 82-68 lead with 4:40 left and the Panthers would get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

"We couldn't guard their guards," Pearl said. "We tried to give more help on Banks and Carr, but when you give a little help it takes you out of rebounding position. Our guards have to do a better job of containing."

The Panthers appeared in good shape early, building a 16-11 lead following three-straight free throws. The lead was still 26-21 after a Ronnie Jones hoop but six-straight UIC points gave the Flames a 27-26 lead. The game was then tied at 34 before UIC went on a 7-2 run to take a 41-36 lead following a Josh Williams layin. Two Justin Lettenberger free throws made it 41-38 at the half.

UWM returns to action Saturday night, hosting Youngstown State at 7 p.m.