UIC defeats Evansville 46-84

The Illinois-Chicago Flames dominated the Evansville Purple Aces 84-46, with a 38-point margin that marked their largest win of the season, surpassing their previous high of 27 points. The Flames' 84 points were also their highest total in 12 games, dating back to their 83-56 win over Illinois State on January 25. UIC's Andy Johnson led the charge with 17 points and 7 rebounds, while Evansville's Trent Hundley managed 12 points in a losing effort. The Flames' 38-point victory margin was also the largest for either team in the series, eclipsing Evansville's 25-point win in 2019.

The game was essentially over by halftime, with UIC holding a 38-23 lead, their largest halftime advantage of the season. The Flames shot 53.8% from the field in the first half, including 5-10 from three-point range, while Evansville struggled to find its rhythm, shooting just 36.4% from the field. UIC's defense was stifling, holding Evansville to just 23 points in the first half, the lowest total for the Purple Aces in 15 games. The Flames' 38 points in the first half were also their highest total in a half since scoring 40 against Drake on February 1.

Johnson's performance was not just about the numbers, as he hit several big shots to help UIC build its lead, including a pair of three-pointers in the first half. He also played tough defense, helping to hold Evansville's leading scorer, Joshua Hughes, to just 9 points on 3-12 shooting. Meanwhile, UIC's Josiah Hammons added 14 points off the bench, including 10 in the second half, to help the Flames pull away. Evansville's Leif Moeller, who had been averaging 10.5 points per game over his last 5 games, was held to just 9 points on 3-9 shooting, and was largely invisible in the second half, failing to score in the final 15 minutes.

The Flames' dominant performance was not entirely unexpected, given their recent form. UIC had been averaging 73.4 points per game over its last 5 games, while allowing just 68.2 points per game, and had outscored its opponents by an average of 5.2 points per game. Evansville, on the other hand, had been struggling, averaging just 65.8 points per game over its last 5 games, while allowing 78.2 points per game, and had been outscored by an average of 12.4 points per game. The Purple Aces had also lost 4 of their last 5 games, including a 60-86 loss at Southern Illinois and a 63-70 loss at Valparaiso.

The CHD Scout prediction of a 11.3-point UIC victory was correct, but the actual margin of 38 points was much larger than expected. The prediction was likely based on UIC's strong recent form, as well as Evansville's struggles on both ends of the court. However, the scout report likely underestimated the extent to which UIC's defense would be able to shut down Evansville's offense, which had been averaging 65.8 points per game over its last 5 games. The Flames' defense held Evansville to just 46 points, the lowest total for the Purple Aces in 20 games, and limited them to just 34.5% shooting from the field.

The loss was a significant blow to Evansville's already slim postseason hopes. The Purple Aces had been hoping to build on their recent win over Illinois State, but instead suffered their 5th loss in 6 games. With a record of 6-21, Evansville is now just 1-14 in its last 15 games, and is likely to finish near the bottom of its conference standings. UIC, on the other hand, improved to 16-12 with the win, and is now just 2 games out of first place in its conference. The Flames have won 3 of their last 5 games, and are averaging 73.4 points per game over that stretch.

The game marked a new low point for Evansville, which had been struggling to find its footing all season. The Purple Aces have now lost 21 games, the most in the conference, and are just 1-11 on the road. UIC, on the other hand, has now won 16 games, the most in its conference, and is 10-5 at home. The Flames' 38-point victory margin was also the largest for either team in the series, and marked the 5th time this season that UIC has won by 20 or more points.

The win was a significant boost to UIC's tournament resume, as it marked the Flames' 4th quad 4 win of the season. UIC is now 4-6 in quad 4 games, and has a NET ranking of 115, which is the highest in its conference. The Flames' quad 4 wins are particularly impressive, given that they have come against teams with an average NET ranking of 140. Evansville, on the other hand, is now just 1-9 in quad 3 games, and has a NET ranking of 292, which is the lowest in its conference. The Purple Aces' loss marked their 10th quad 3 loss of the season, and dropped them to 1-10 in such games.

The Flames' dominant performance was a reflection of their strength and depth, as they were able to pull away from Evansville despite not having a single player score more than 17 points. UIC's bench outscored Evansville's 26-10, and the Flames' defense held the Purple Aces to just 34.5% shooting from the field. The win marked UIC's 5th consecutive victory over Evansville, and improved the Flames' all-time record against the Purple Aces to 12-8. With the win, UIC moved into a tie for 2nd place in its conference, just 1 game behind the leader.

The loss marked a new low point for Evansville, which had been struggling to find its footing all season. The Purple Aces have now lost 21 games, the most in the conference, and are just 1-11 on the road. Evansville's 46 points were its lowest total of the season, and marked the 5th time the Purple Aces have been held to 50 points or less. The loss dropped Evansville to 6-21 on the season, and marked its 10th consecutive loss to a team with a winning record.