Second Round: UW-Green Bay 76, UIC 66

March 3, 2006

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Freshman Ryan Tillema scored 22 points and Ryan Evanochko had a career-high 14 assists as Wisconsin-Green Bay defeated UIC 76-66 in quarterfinals of the Horizon League tournament Friday.

The Phoenix (15-15) advance to play Butler in the semifinals Saturday.

The Flames (16-15) were led by Jovan Stefanov with 19 points.

Tillema, coming off a career-high 23 points in the Phoenix's last game Feb. 25 against Cleveland State, made 7-of-11 shots, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range.

Evanochko, the team's leading scorer, had only two turnovers to go with the assists. The junior point guard had one more assist than the entire Illinois-Chicago team.

The Phoenix, the tournament's No. 3 seed, led the entire second half, not allowing the Flames to come closer than six points after halftime. They scored seven consecutive points late, opening a 76-61 lead on Aswan Minatee's short jumper with 53 seconds left.

Green Bay used a 15-3 run late in the first half to take control of the game.

Terry Evans, who had 14 points, hit a baseline jumper to give the Phoenix the lead for good, 25-23. Mike Schachtner's three-pointer capped the run, giving Green Bay a 34-26 lead with 2:10 left in the half.