Women’s basketball scores win No. 9

Videography by Jeffron Boynes

Home for the first time in five weeks, the women’s basketball team (9-2) won its ninth consecutive game Saturday with an 80-68 victory over Denver (1-11).

Rachel Story scored a game-high 23 points to lead a balanced UIC effort.

The Flames’ 9-2 record matches the 1976-77 and 1977-78 squads for the best 11-game start in program history. It is also the first nine-game win streak since 2007. Four of the nine victories have been over 2012-13 WNIT participants (Idaho State, Miami Ohio, Texas Southern and Butler).

UIC never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 15 (61-46) with 6:51 left in the game. The Flames forced a season-high 22 turnovers and scored 28 points off Denver’s miscues.

UIC held a 40-35 advantage on the boards and improved to 9-1 this season when out-rebounding its opponent. The Flames shot a season-high .839 from the line (26-of-31) and grabbed 21 offensive rebounds.

Story, The Horizon League’s Player of the Week, was 7-of-16 from the field and 6-of-7 from the line. She also knocked down 3-of-7 shots from three-point land.

The Flames are undefeated (9-0) with Story in the lineup this season. Story has three straight 20-point efforts, five this season and 16 in her UIC career. She has been in double-figures in 12 straight contests dating back to last season.

Senior Emily Kobel had 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting and entered the UIC record books. She made 3-of-8 shots from beyond the arc and her 108 career made three-pointers now rank tenth all-time in program history. It was Kobel’s fourth double-digit effort this season and first since Nov. 20 at SIUE.

Redshirt senior Katie Hannemann had 13 points and nine rebounds for her ninth double-figure performance this season. She was a season-high 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Redshirt sophomore Ruvanna Campbell collected her team-high tenth double-digit effort with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting. She also contributed six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Sophomore Terri Bender continued her solid all-around play with 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. She was in double-figures for the first time since Nov. 23 against Miami and the fourth time this season. Bender owns 18 steals over the last five games (3.6 steals per contest).

UIC travels to DeKalb Tuesday to take on Northern Illinois (4-5) at 1 p.m. at the NIU Convocation Center.

A win would match the best 12-game start (10-2) in program history.

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