Women’s basketball team falls in overtime at Milwaukee

Ruvanna Campbell led the Flames with 19 points and 11 rebounds Saturday. The Flames host Green Bay Saturday at the Pavilion. Photo: Steve Woltmann

The women’s basketball team (12-6, 2-3 Horizon League) ended a four-game road trip with a 64-63 overtime loss Saturday at Milwaukee (7-11, 3-3 Horizon League).

The Flames host Green Bay at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Pavilion. Students are free with i-card; employees can receive free tickets to Saturday’s game through a special promotion by emailing kdecker2@uic.edu by 5 p.m. Friday.

Imani Moore’s steal and layup gave UIC a 63-62 lead with 25 seconds left but Ashley Green’s put-back won it for the Panthers.

Milwaukee shot 60 percent in the first half and led 32-29 going into the locker room. The Flames held the Panthers scoreless for 10:28 and led by as many as five early in the second half. Green’s free throws with six seconds remaining in regulation tied the score at 55 and Terri Bender’s last-second jumper missed the mark.

“We had a great opportunity to take control of the contest in the second half but could not execute offensively,” head coach Regina Miller said. “We should win games in which we hold the opponent scoreless for over 10 minutes. There were also many chances to put the game away late and we did not convert good looks. We will work to fix those offensive difficulties.”

Milwaukee finished the contest by converting 52 percent of its field goals (25-of-48). The Panthers held the Flames to 39 percent shooting (27-of-69), including 1-of-19 from downtown.

UIC dominated the boards with 20 offensive rebounds and 31 second-chance points. The Flames outrebounded the Panthers, 39-31, and scored 44 of their points in the paint. UIC forced 28 Milwaukee turnovers and scored 23 points off the Panthers’ miscues.

Ruvanna Campbell collected her 13th double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 37 seconds left in regulation. She was 9-of-12 from the field and picked up five steals.

Campbell, who ranks third nationally with 14.2 rebounds per contest, had six of UIC’s 20 offensive rebounds and two blocks.

Terri Bender scored 15 points for her eighth straight double-figure performance. She picked up four steals to increase her season total to 56, which ranks 11th in the nation. She has picked up at least four steals on nine occasions this season.

Kendyl Nunn played 35 minutes off the bench and scored 11 points for her fifth double-digit effort. Nunn grabbed nine rebounds in addition to setting season highs in steals (5) and assists (5).