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INDIANAPOLIS - After picking up their first win as Horizon League members, the IUPUI basketball team returned to home to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Thursday. However, the Jaguars (4-11, 1-3 HL) couldn't build off of that victory and fell to the UIC Flames (6-10, 1-2), 70-65.
 
The Jaguars came out firing right from the tip and made their presence felt close to the basket. Evan Hall, Aaron Brennan and Maurice Kirby all converted buckets at the tin as the Jags opened up the game on a 9-4 run. A pair of threes by T.J. Henderson and Jaylen Minnett pushed the lead to 15-6, and back-to-back buckets by Brennan gave the Jags a double digit lead shortly after.
 
The high point of the half came as Brennan stole the ball, dribbled down the court and threw down a thunderous dunk on a UIC defender while drawing a foul. Brennan converted on the free throw, giving the Jags a 24-11 lead just past the midpoint of the first half. Henderson and Ron Patterson converted on an alley-oop to take a 37-24 lead with under four minutes to play in the half, but UIC closed on a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to 41-34 heading into the locker room.
 
"I thought we were really aggressive in the first half attacking their defense, and getting downhill," Brennan said after the game.
 
Brennan led the Jaguars in scoring in the first half with 14 points. The Jaguars also got eight points from Henderson off the bench, but the defense was the story of the first half. The Jaguars forced 12 turnovers in the opening frame, and held a 16-2 advantage on points off of turnovers.
 
"We were sharing the ball really well and we only had two turnovers. We were getting stops defensively, and it's just fun to play basketball like we did in the first half," Brennan said.
 
The Jags continued to attack early on in the second half, and maintained a 48-42 at the under-12 minute media timeout. However, neither team could generate much of a rhythm on the offensive end in the first 10 minutes of the half, and the Jaguars held a 51-48 lead with just under eight minutes to play.
 
The Flames cut the lead to one, but on the ensuing possession, UIC's Tarkus Ferguson was issued a technical foul following a foul call. Brennan stepped up to the line and knocked down four consecutive free throws to give the Jags some breathing room at 55-50. However, the Flames answered with six straight points and took their first lead of the game at 56-55 with just under five to play.
 
"We kind of played tentative not to win, and we played more to survive rather than attacking and staying aggressive," Associate Head Coach Matt Crenshaw said.
 
The Jaguars struggled with the UIC's full court press, particularly in the second half, and turnovers stagnated the attack. After turning the ball over just twice in the first half, the Flames' pressure forced 12 turnovers in the second period. The Jags were finally able to get a good look and a Hall layup cut the deficit to two with under two minutes to play.
 
"That hits the nail on the head right there. We had two turnovers in the first half and 12 in the second half," Crenshaw said. "We took a couple of rushed shots and the press kind of took us out of our rhythm."
 
The turnovers woes came back to bite them, however, as they turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions late. UIC took advantage and built the lead up to 66-59 with less than a minute to play. Patterson converted uncontested layups on two straight possessions, cutting the lead to three, but UIC iced the game at the line en route to the final 70-65 margin.
 
"We have a veteran group of guards, and we just have to mature and be able to execute. The little things become big things in a game like this," Crenshaw said.
 
Brennan led the Jaguars in scoring with 18 points and Hall was the only other Jaguar in double figures with 10. Patterson and Henderson each had eight apiece and Nick Rogers had seven points and a career-high six assists.
 
UIC was led in scoring by Dikembe Dixon and Marcus Ottey, who had 19 points a piece to pace the Flames. UIC also got nine points and four blocks from Tai Odiase.

IUPUI will continue the four-game homestand on Wednesday night (Jan. 10) at 7:00 p.m. when the Jaguars host Milwaukee at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. That game will be seen on ESPN3 as Greg Rakestraw (pxp) and Hall of Famer Bob Lovell (analyst) are on the call. That night will also be Dean's Night at the Coliseum and fans will be treated to a halftime show from the Indy Air Bears.