The signs of trouble were there early, even before the game.
Illinois-Chicago players sensed a lack of intensity in practice and warm-ups and it continued through a disappointing 71-66 loss to Wisconsin-Milwaukee that pushed Milwaukee (7-5, 3-0) to the top of the Horizon League and left UIC (8-4, 1-1) looking up at a conference they have designs on winning.
“I saw it from the get-go, in warm-ups,” senior center Scott VanderMeer said. “It seemed like half the guys didn’t want to be here. This is conference; this is what we play for.”
Said guard Josh Mayo, who led UIC with 18 points: “It’s something we can’t do. No one was excited.”
Illinois-Chicago limited Wisconsin-Milwaukee to 40 percent shooting and had leads of seven and eight points, yet was down at halftime 34-33. That all changed in the second half as the Panthers began showering UIC Pavilion with three-pointers, hitting 7 of 13 in the half and keeping the Flames from gaining momentum.
“Guys around the league are going to have to take us seriously,” Milwaukee guard Avery Smith said.
Milwaukee put five players in double figures, led by 15 each from Smith and 310-pound siege gun James Eayrs, who put in 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.
“Milwaukee outplayed us, outhustled us,” UIC coach Jimmy Collins said. “We lacked intensity.”
A three-point play, a layup by guard Robo Kreps and a three-pointer from Mayo had UIC trailing 65-64 with less than two minutes to play, but Milwaukee was able to close it out with six free throws.
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jmullin@tribune.com
