Willie Green scored a Pavilion record 43 points Monday night–but he wasn’t Illinois-Chicago’s biggest problem.
That would be what happened on Detroit Mercy’s first possession of its 80-73 victory.
Coach Perry Watson’s board-crashing Titans kept possession of the ball for more than a full minute when they pulled down four of their eventual 15 rebounds off the offensive boards.
From there on, it was more and more of the same.
Green, a 6-foot-4-inch, 204-pound guard, led his team with five offensive rebounds to go with his career-high 43 points.
The Flames were outrebounded 44-33 as they lost a chance to take over sole possession of first place in the Horizon League and dropped to 14-5 overall and 6-2 in the conference.
“Rebounding was our focus in this game,” said Watson, whose team improved to 10-8, 5-4. “UIC ranked ahead of us in rebounding and beat us on our home floor. I kind of challenged our guys. I told them that they had the height advantage at every position except one. That first possession those offensive rebounds set the tone.”
Green’s 43 points were neither fancy nor stylish. He missed his only two shots from behind the three-point arc, but he hit 18 of his other 27 tries. Most came after he lowered a shoulder, banged a defender and made a bull-like thrust to the basket.
“Obviously, Willie Green and Terrell Riggs (15 points and 11 rebounds) dominated the game,” said Mark Coomes, UIC’s top assistant coach who subbed for the flu-ridden Jimmy Collins. “Willie created contact, and he went over the top. They got after loose balls and rebounds.”
Perry called Green’s performance “unbelievable, especially because he also rebounded and played tough defense,” alternately guarding Cedrick Banks and Martell Bailey.
Banks scored 18 first-half points, one fewer than Green, and had 27 overall. Bailey scored 18 and had seven assists.
“These were the hardest 43 points I ever scored, Green said. “My teammates made it possible. They got me the ball.”
The Flames missed 12 of their last 17 free-throw attempts and hit only .478 on 11-of-23 overall.
