Flames take reins against Miami

Sophomore Terri Bender scored 11 points in the Flames’ 76-66 victory against Miami University (Ohio) Saturday. Photo: Timothy Nguyen/UIC News

Senior Rachel Story scored 23 points and the women’s basketball team (3-2) picked up its third straight victory, 76-66, over Miami University Ohio (1-3) Saturday afternoon at the UIC Pavilion.

Story hit 5-of-6 three-pointers and the Flames shot 50 percent from beyond the arc (9-of-18) against the RedHawks, who won 19 games and qualified for the WNIT last season.

Story was named the Horizon League’s Player of the Week from Nov. 18-24.

“Rachel [Story] is one of our top three-point shooters and she did her job,” head coach Regina Miller said.

“Miami is a very competitive team who has been in the postseason so they know what it takes to win. We were able to sustain their runs in the second half.”

UIC never trailed in the game and held a 23-point advantage at 32-9 with 7:12 left in the first half. Two late three-pointers by the RedHawks trimmed the UIC lead to 17 at halftime (46-29).

Miami battled tough and narrowed the UIC lead to five at 71-66 with 1:35 left in the second half but Megan Wallace scored four straight points and a free throw from Story ended the contest.

UIC shot 65.4 percent in the first half, including 8-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Story’s five three-pointers tied her career high set in last week’s 88-65 victory at SIUE. She hit 8-of-10 free throws in the second half to help UIC sustain its lead. Story missed the first two games of the season but is averaging 22.7 points and shooting 59.1 percent from downtown (13-of-22) since her return.

Senior Katie Hannemann collected her fourth consecutive double-digit scoring effort with 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting. She added six rebounds and hit eight of her ten free throw attempts. Hannemann also had three of UIC’s seven steals. The Flames scored 27 points off 17 Miami turnovers.

Redshirt sophomore Ruvanna Campbell posted her fourth consecutive double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Campbell, who was an efficient 5-of-6 from the floor, added a block and a steal over 23 minutes.

Sophomore Terri Bender had an all-around solid effort with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot. She hit 3-of-4 three-point attempts in the first half.

The Flames travel to Puerto Rico this week to participate in the San Juan Shootout. UIC will face Ohio Friday and Texas Southern Saturday.

The team then heads to Indianapolis for an 11 a.m. match Dec. 7 at Butler.