[Box Score]

CHICAGO, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball closed out their non-conference portion of the season falling to the Illinois-Chicago Flames 66-54. The loss drops the Panthers to 1-11 as they head into OVC play while UIC improves to 9-2.

The Panthers had a remarkable first half but fell behind due to a massive third quarter effort from UIC in which the Flames outscored the Panthers 23-6. EIU did their best to come back in the final period but the lead proved to be too much.

Shakita Cox was the only Panther in double figures as she led the team with 17 points.

EIU came out of the gates hot scoring two quick buckets with 8:36 left in the first period. There were five different lead changes throughout the first period as EIU and UIC traded buckets throughout the quarter.

The refs halted the game at the 2:41 mark in the first period as the UIC Pavilion roof began to leak a steady stream of water onto the court causing a 26 minute 'rain delay.'

UIC's Melita Emanuel-Carr scored the period's final four points to give the Flames a 16-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. Emanuel-Carr had 13 points in the game.

The Panther defense stepped up their aggressiveness in the second period as EIU went on a 13-1 run to open the second quarter. UIC did not make a single bucket until the 2:08 mark as the Flames' Kendyl Nunn sank a jumper to make the score 26-19.

Phylicia Johnson found her touch in the second period draining three straight three-pointers to earn her only nine points of the game, a new season high. UIC closed the gap with 10 points in the final 2:08 of the first half.

EIU shot 80 percent in the second period to take a 32-27 lead into halftime marking only the second time this season the Panthers have earned a first half lead. 

Momentum swung in favor of UIC in the third period as the Flames came out shooting going on an 11-2 run to start the second half. EIU could not seem to find an answer for Ruvanna Campbell as the red-shirt senior scored 12 points in the third quarter. Campbell finished the game with 28 points.

The Flames shot 50 percent outscoring EIU 23-6 in the third quarter to gain a 50-38 lead going into the final period of play.

The Panthers tried to get back into the game scoring seven straight points to cut the Flames lead to seven as UIC led 50-43 with 8:50 left in the game. Erica Brown opened the fourth quarter scoring before fouling out with 9:10 left in the game. Brown finished the game with eight points, four rebounds, and two steals. 

It was back-and-forth in the final period as the Panthers could not get closer than seven points. UIC scored the last five points of the game to give the Flames the 66-54 victory.

Halle Stull finished the game contributing eight points while tying her career high with eight rebounds.

The Panthers open conference play at Tennessee Tech Thursday [Dec. 31] at 1 p.m.