UIC Edges Chicago State Down The Stretch In CIT 80-69

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CHICAGO – Chicago State men's basketball erased a 22-point first half deficit to take a 61-59 lead with seven minutes remaining against UIC on Wednesday (March 20) evening in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament at the UIC Pavilion. Down the stretch, however, UIC pulled out the 80-69 victory over the Cougars.
 
“There are a lot of teams that would have given up down 20,” Chicago State head coach Tracy Dildy said. “But I'm proud of the fight we showed. We kept battling.”
 
It was a tough start for the Cougars. Leading scorer junior Quinton Pippen (Hamburg, Ark./Hamburg) picked up three fouls in the game's first three minutes. Fouls would continue to cause the Cougars trouble. UIC finished the first half 13-17 from the free throw line. Meanwhile the Flames were hot beyond the arc, hitting 7-of-11 3-pointers in the first stanza. Both totals helped UIC take a lead as large as 22 points with 2:49 left in the first. At the half, UIC led 46-30.
 
The Cougars wasted little time chipping away at the double-digit deficit with five points by Pippen to open the second half. Back-to-back 3-pointers by junior Matt Ross (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) and then a 3-pointer by junior Jamere Dismukes (Park Forest, Ill./Rich East) made it a game again at 52-50 with 12:23 left in the contest. The Cougars finally took the lead at 61-59 when Pippen drove to the lane and converted a layup. He tied the game at 59 with two free throws just seconds earlier.
 
UIC started to pull away near the five-minute mark. Josh Crittle, playing with four fouls, converted inside to put the Flames up 63-61. Daniel Barnes then followed with a 3-pointer to put UIC up 66-61 at the under four minute timeout. After the timeout Barnes stepped in front of a Chicago State pass and took the turnover the other way for a layup, putting UIC up seven points. A Rosenberg free throw cut the UIC lead to 70-66 with exactly three minutes remaining. But it would be as close as CSU would get the rest of the way. Chicago State missed five free throws in the game's final five minutes.
 
“We extended so much energy fighting back I think it showed at the line late,” Dildy said. “You just can't spot a team a double-digit lead.”
 
Chicago State was led offensively by Matt Ross (Dixon, Ill./Dixon)' 19 points. He finished the game 6-of-8 from 3-point land. Dismukes totaled 17 points. Pippen had 12 points, nine in the second half.
 
UIC's Daniel Barnes scored a game-high 22 points. He was one of four Flames in double-figures.
 
The Cougars finished with one more field goal than the Flames (22-to-21), but UIC made up for it with a 28-of-36 performance from the free throw line. Chicago State forced 16 UIC turnovers, while committing jut six turnovers of their own.
 
UIC improves to 18-15. Chicago State finishes the 2012-13 season 11-22.