Wright State University
11-5, 4-0HL
UIC
9-6, 2-2HL
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright State | 28 | 34 | 62 |
| UIC | 37 | 23 | 60 |
Women Hold On for 62-60 Win at UIC
1/7/2012 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
For the third straight game, the Wright State women's basketball team rallied in the second half for a win, this time overcoming a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat UIC on the road Saturday 62-60.
A Molly Fox layup gave the Raiders a 12-7 lead with 13:59 remaining in the first half, only to see the Flames answer with an 18-4 run to go up 25-16 with 7:25 left. WSU cut the deficit to 27-26 on a Shaunda Sandifer layup before UIC closed out the period with a 10-2 burst to go up 37-28 at the break.
The Flames shot 43 percent in the opening 20 minutes, including six of 12 from three-point range, while the Raiders shot 38 percent overall and were just four of 18 from behind the arc.
Wright State opened the second half with a 16-7 run, half of those coming from Kim Demmings, to regain the lead at 44-41 with 13 minutes to play, but UIC used an 8-0 run to go back in front 51-46. The Flame margin was just one at 55-54 until the Raiders went ahead to stay with six straight points, the final two being a Fox layup with 1:02 left.
UIC's Jasmine Bailey connected on a three from the left wing to make a two-point game and after Demmings hit one of two at the foul line, Shamiea Green hit a jumper to make it 61-60. Demmings, though, made one of two again at the stripe at the 21.3-second mark and Wright State was able to maintain the two-point edge the rest of the way.
WSU's last three wins have come by a combined total of five points, having won 48-47 against Butler on New Year's Eve and winning 64-62 at Loyola on Thursday.
With the win, WSU swept both stops of the annual Chicago trip for the first time ever. The Raiders won both games at Loyola and UIC during the 2004-05 season, but played a home game against Detroit in between. It was Wright State first win at UIC since a 69-59 victory on January 23, 2006 and is just the third decision over the Flames in the last 12 meetings overall.
Wright State made of 15 of 27 shots in the second half to finish at 46 percent overall while the Flames cooled to 31 percent the final 20 minutes to end up at 37 percent. The Raiders also led in points in the paint (42-12), points off of turnovers (17-14) and second-chance points (16-8).
Four Raider starters scored in double figures, led by Fox with 20 points and nine rebounds while Demmings had 17 points along with six assists. Sandifer added 12 points and eight boards while Kayla Lamotte had 11 points. Altogether, the quartet accounted for all but two of WSU's points.
Bailey posted a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds for UIC (9-6, 2-2 Horizon) while Green had 15 points and Taylor Foulks 10.
Wright State (11-5, 4-0 Horizon) hosts #17/14 Green Bay (13-0, 3-0 Horizon) in a battle for first place in the Horizon League on Thursday, January 12, at 7:00.
