Wisconsin-Milwaukee coach Bruce Pearl didn’t see Martell Bailey and Cedrick Banks trigger Thursday night’s Illinois-Chicago rally that dealt the Panthers their first Horizon League loss of the season, 86-82.
Pearl was in the visitors’ locker room at the Pavilion after being ejected for drawing two technical fouls with 30 seconds left in the first half.
But Pearl, his replacement, Tony Jones, and UIC coach Jimmy Collins agreed there isn’t much any coach can do to stop Banks when his screeners free him for good looks at the basket and he accepts pinpoint passes from Bailey, his former Westing-house teammate.
“I’ve yet to see a coach who can sink a basket,” Collins said.
Jones added: “Cedrick and Martell are great players. They got on a roll. Ced made shots when Ed McCants or Chris Hill had hands in his face and were draped all over him. Give credit to Ced.”
UW-Milwaukee’s Dylan Page led all scorers with 31 points. The Panthers (15-6, 10-1) built up a 60-50 lead with 10 minutes to play before UIC (16-7, 7-4) outscored them 26-5 to take a 76-65 lead with 2:52 left.
“We went to our horse,” Collins said. “And when Ced scores, it opens up scoring for Aaron Carr and Armond Williams and Martell.”
Banks scored 15 of his 27 points in the final 10 minutes, including four of his five baskets from behind the three-point arc.
“I had better screens,” said Banks, explaining his second-half splurge. “That gave Martell the opportunity to find me.”
Pearl took part of the blame.
“I was obviously upset,” he said of his behavior. “I’m proud of the way my players battled, but I let them down. It was my first ejection since I’ve been at Milwaukee.”
Pearl lost control when officials called the 5-foot-10-inch, 160-pound Hill for fouling 6-7, 255-pound Elliott Poole with 30 seconds left in the half and UW-Milwaukee leading 30-27.
Pearl peeled off his jacket, stomped the floor, threw a cup of water, yelled at the refs and drew technical No. 1. When he continued his tirade, he was whistled for No. 2, causing automatic ejection.
Carr sank 3 of 4 free throws awarded for the technical fouls, tying the game 30-30. Poole then went 2-for-2 on the personal foul for a 32-30 Flames advantage.
UIC led 34-32 after a first half that featured–in addition to Pearl’s ejection–the Flames’ balanced scoring vs. the Panthers’ virtual one-man gang, Page.
UIC’s five starters shared their team’s first 10 points, one basket apiece. Page, on the other hand, scored 14 of UW-Milwaukee’s first 18 points and 18 in the first half. He hit 7 of 11 from the floor. For the night, Page went 12 of 21, including 3 of 5 from three-point range.
Officials called 50 fouls, 26 of them on UIC in the furious, physical game. Tough body-banging defense helped force 34 turnovers.
