Flames can’t keep momentum against Grizzlies

Jay Harris drives to the basket. The Flames host Green Bay Thursday. — Photo: Steve Woltmann

The men’s basketball team (7-22, 3-11 Horizon League) dropped its final road game of the regular season at Oakland (15-14, 10-4 Horizon League) Sunday, 81-56.

The Flames return to action at 7 p.m. Thursday against Green Bay at the UIC Pavilion.

The Golden Grizzlies sank 15 threes and shot 54 percent from downtown. Senior Marc Brown led the Flames with a game-high 21 points, the ninth 20-point effort of his career.

The Flames started strong by scoring the first 10 points of the game, which included back-to-back threes from Brown and senior Ahman Fells. UIC held a 14-8 lead at the 13:49 mark when Oakland caught fire and executed a 21-2 run to go ahead, 29-16. Oakland’s lead progressed to 45-27 going into the break.

UIC began the second half on an 11-2 run and cut Oakland’s lead down to single digits (47-38) by the 14:44 mark. The momentum was short-lived as the Grizzlies outscored the Flames, 25-8, over the next 10 minutes, putting the game out of reach.

Junior Jason McClellan had 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, shooting 6-of-10 from the field. Fells chipped in five points and seven boards.