Men's Basketball Edged By No. 8 Butler In Final Minute, 51-46
Feb. 20, 2008
Chicago, Ill.- The UIC men's basketball team gave the nation's eighth-ranked team all it could handle, but the Flames' valiant effort was not enough in a 51-46 loss to Butler in front of the second-largest crowd to witness a UIC game at the Pavilion on Wednesday night. Trailing 46-43 late in the game, UIC (14-13, 8-8 Horizon League) pulled even on Jermaine Dailey's three-point play at the 1:14 mark. On Butler's (25-2, 14-2 Horizon League) next possession, A.J. Graves hit a deep three from the left side with just 45 seconds remaining to put the visitors up 49-46. After Scott VanderMeer's shot attempt came up short on the other end, the Flames were forced to foul five times to put Butler in the bonus. They eventually sent Mike Green to the line, where the Butler guard's first attempt bounced off the rim and into the Flames' possession to grant the hosts one more shot at knotting the contest. But Josh Mayo's three-pointer missed, and the Bulldogs sealed the win with a pair of Graves free throws. A crowd of 7,799 was in attendance on Wednesday night, the largest crowd to witness a game in the Pavilion's current seating configuration and the second-most in Pavilion history. Only a crowd of 8,715 to see Jimmy Collins' first game as UIC head coach against Illinois on Nov. 22, 1996 in a different Pavilion configuration was better. Mayo led all scorers with 15 points, while Dailey matched career-highs in points (13) and rebounds (eight) on a perfect 6-for-6 night from the floor. VanderMeer chipped in 10 points and six rebounds. In only the second home loss UIC has suffered all season, the Flames endured their worst shooting performance at the Pavilion in 2007-08 by hitting at a 33.3 percent (18-for-54) clip. The Flames were just 2-for-14 from behind the arc. Graves led Butler with 14 points. Butler took just 10 of its 47 field goal attempts inside the three-point arc. Only five of the Bulldogs' 18 made baskets were worth two points. UIC's nine personal fouls were the lowest amount of calls against the Flames in team history. Prior to the game UIC honored seniors Dailey, Robert Bush, Ebenezer Noonoo, Karl White Jr. and head team manager Brian Hastings during Senior Night festivities. The Flames head to Cedar Falls, Iowa for their O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters matchup against Northern Iowa this Saturday. Tip-off is slated for 7:05 p.m. Central.
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