Men's Basketball Final Shot: Jan. 31 - Finding Redemption

Men’s Basketball Scoreboard (Jan. 31)
UIC 60, Green Bay 57

After giving Green Bay the opportunity to climb back into the game, Josh Crittle made sure he picked up UIC down the stretch, scoring the last six points to push the Flames to a 60-57 victory over the visiting Phoenix at the UIC Pavilion.

UIC (14-8, 5-4 Horizon) further tightened the Horizon League standings, moving into a tie with Green Bay (11-11, 5-4 Horizon) and Wright State (14-8, 5-4 Horizon) for fourth place in the conference. Entering Friday, 1.5 games separate first place from sixth.

Before carrying UIC down the stretch, Crittle gave Green Bay a boost by committing a flagrant foul with 4:06 to play, helping the Phoenix draw within 52-49. After the teams traded empty possessions, Brennan Cougill’s three-point play evened the game at 52.

With the game tied at 54, Alec Brown gave the Phoenix its first lead since their opening possession of the game, nailing a three-pointer coming out of a timeout.

After UIC took a timeout, it was Crittle who knocked down a short jumper to slice the deficit to 57-56 with 1:07 to play. The Flames held defensively, narrowly averting a tip-in attempt by Cougill, that rolled off the rim.

Gary Talton was able to find Crittle down low on the subsequent possession, and the big man was fouled with 16 ticks left. Crittle’s first free throw to tie the game caught the back of the iron, sat for a brief second before dropping to knot the score. The senior hit his second to put UIC ahead, 58-57.

Green Bay would draw up a play, trying to bring Brown across the court into the low block, but with the play breaking down, Keifer Sykes attempted to drive, where Anthony Kelley poked the ball away.

Needing to foul with 4.3 remaining, Green Bay let Crittle get into space before he was fouled with 1.8 seconds left. Crittle hit both, and the Phoenix did not get off an attempt to tie the game.

Crittle scored 10 of his 15 in the second half, partnering with Hayden Humes to carry the Flames in the second half. With Crittle working down low, Humes was able to curl off the high pick and roll to knock down 8-of-14 attempts, finishing with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Talton rounded out the trio of Flames in double figures with 10 points.

Sykes, returning to his hometown, led Green Bay with 18 points, knocking down a career-high three three-pointers. In two games at UIC, Sykes is averaging 22.5 points per game. Cougill and Greg Mays gave Green Bay 21 combined points off the bench, with Cougill posting 11 and Mays showing off his high-flying abilities to finish with 10.

UIC will host Cleveland State at 8 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 2, with HLN carrying the game. Green Bay will stay in Chicago, taking on Loyola at 2 p.m. EST on Saturday. The game will be spotlighted as the HLN Game of the Week and be syndicated throughout the Midwest and on ESPN3.