Feb. 5, 2004

Box Score

MILWAUKEE - Dylan Page scored 31 points but the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee could not overcome the first-half ejection of head coach Bruce Pearl and a 26-5 Illinois-Chicago second-half run in falling 86-82 Thursday night.

The Panthers (15-6, 10-1 Horizon) lost for the first time in league play but remain a game ahead of Wright State for the top spot in the Horizon League. The two teams meet Saturday afternoon at the U.S. Cellular Arena.

UWM, playing under associate head coach Tony Jones, built a 60-50 lead with 10:41 to play in the game. But the Flames (16-7, 7-4) responded with a flurry, scoring 26 of the next 31 points to claim a 76-65 edge with 2:52 left. The Panthers rallied to within three at 81-78 on a three-point basket by Page and were still within 82-78 after Elliott Poole made 1-of-2 free throws. But Chris Hill was called for traveling driving to the basket on the next possession, clinching the win for the Flames.

Cedrick Banks led UIC with 27 points. In all, five Flames reached double figures. Along with Page's 31, Ed McCants added 18, Adrian Tigert 13 and Joah Tucker 10 for UWM.

The undoing of the Panthers' nine-game winning streak came in two areas - the run from UIC and 18 offensive rebounds by the Flames.

"Aaron Carr hit some shots he hasn't been making," Jones said of the run. "And what can you say about Cedrick Banks - you have to give him a lot of credit. He hit tough shots with hands in his face.

"We could have done a better job of protecting our glass," Jones added. "When you allow a team to get 18 offensive rebounds, the results are usually not going to be positive."

The ejection of Pearl occurred at the end of a first half that saw the two teams called for 26 fouls. With 30 seconds remaining in the half, UWM's 5-foot-10, 160-pound guard Chris Hill was called for a foul battling for a rebound with UIC's 6-foot-7, 255-pound forward Elliott Poole. The call, which happened in front of the UWM bench and with Hill apparently in possession of the ball, incensed Pearl and the more the 300 Panther fans in attendance. The first technical was issued by Eugene Crawford, who had made the foul call, and Pearl was then ejected seconds later by Rick Hartzell.

The series of free throws helped UIC gain a halftime lead after they trailed much of the first half. The Flames hit five of the six free throws to grab a 32-30 lead and UIC led 34-32 at the break.

UWM started the second half strong, as McCants scored the first nine points before Tigert added a three to give UWM a 44-38 lead. After UIC rallied to within 51-50, UWM scored the next nine points to build a 60-50 lead before the Flames started their decisive run.

This is the second year in a row a head coach has been thrown out of UWM's game at UIC. Last year, UIC coach Jimmy Collins was ejected by Curtis Shaw on back-to-back second-half technicals.