Women’s basketball scores win No. 9

Videography by Jeffron Boynes

Home for the first time in five weeks, the women’s basketball team (9-2) won its ninth consecutive game Saturday with an 80-68 victory over Denver (1-11).

Rachel Story scored a game-high 23 points to lead a balanced UIC effort.

The Flames’ 9-2 record matches the 1976-77 and 1977-78 squads for the best 11-game start in program history. It is also the first nine-game win streak since 2007. Four of the nine victories have been over 2012-13 WNIT participants (Idaho State, Miami Ohio, Texas Southern and Butler).

UIC never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 15 (61-46) with 6:51 left in the game. The Flames forced a season-high 22 turnovers and scored 28 points off Denver’s miscues.

UIC held a 40-35 advantage on the boards and improved to 9-1 this season when out-rebounding its opponent. The Flames shot a season-high .839 from the line (26-of-31) and grabbed 21 offensive rebounds.

Story, The Horizon League’s Player of the Week, was 7-of-16 from the field and 6-of-7 from the line. She also knocked down 3-of-7 shots from three-point land.

The Flames are undefeated (9-0) with Story in the lineup this season. Story has three straight 20-point efforts, five this season and 16 in her UIC career. She has been in double-figures in 12 straight contests dating back to last season.

Senior Emily Kobel had 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting and entered the UIC record books. She made 3-of-8 shots from beyond the arc and her 108 career made three-pointers now rank tenth all-time in program history. It was Kobel’s fourth double-digit effort this season and first since Nov. 20 at SIUE.

Redshirt senior Katie Hannemann had 13 points and nine rebounds for her ninth double-figure performance this season. She was a season-high 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Redshirt sophomore Ruvanna Campbell collected her team-high tenth double-digit effort with 13 points on 4-of-9 shooting. She also contributed six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Sophomore Terri Bender continued her solid all-around play with 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. She was in double-figures for the first time since Nov. 23 against Miami and the fourth time this season. Bender owns 18 steals over the last five games (3.6 steals per contest).

A win would match the best 12-game start (10-2) in program history.