Flames fall at No. 2 Cleveland State

Paris Burns scored 17 points Sunday at Cleveland State. — Photo: Steve Woltmann

The men’s basketball team (7-20, 3-9 Horizon League) led No. 2 Cleveland State (16-11, 10-3 Horizon League) by four (34-30) at halftime Sunday, but the Vikings shot 65 percent in the final period to earn a 67-59 home win.

UIC will play three of its last four regular season games at home, starting at 7 p.m. Thursday against Milwaukee.

Senior Ahman Fells posted his second career double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Paris Burns netted 17 points.

UIC took control early with a 14-9 lead by the 14:08 mark after Burns and sophomore Markese McGuire combined for 10 early points. The Vikings had back-to-back threes to jump ahead, 17-14.

The Flames went on an 8-0 run, including consecutive triples from Jay Harris and Fells, to go up, 26-23, with 5:14 left in the period. UIC sank 6-of-6 from the foul line in the final four minutes of the half and headed into break ahead by four (34-30).

The Vikings took over in the second half, going on a 19-7 run to jump ahead, 49-41. CSU reached its largest lead of the game with 5:07 left to play (60-47) after scoring seven straight points.

Three consecutive treys from Fells pulled the Flames to within four (60-56) with 2:22 on the clock. Fells, who drained 5-of-9 from behind the arc, is shooting 63 percent (17-of-27) from deep in the last six games.

Cleveland State went scored the next four points and seven of the game’s final 10 points to seal victory.

Burns has scored 14 or more points in his last seven games and is averaging more than 17 points per contest during that span.

Freshman Tai Odiase contributed six points and three rebounds in 13 minutes of action as Harris added nine points.