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Williams’ monster game lifts Flames past Loyola

(1/23/03)

The media hype surrounding Wednesday’s Loyola-UIC game featured brothers David and Martell Bailey and their friend Cedrick Banks—all graduates of Westinghouse High School.

All three figured prominently in the contest, but it was another West-sider that had a monster game.

Six-foot-five-inch, 215-pound UIC forward Armond Williams played like a certain undersized “Round Mound of Rebound” by notching career-bests with 30 points and 15 rebounds. Although he has more hair than Charles Barkley and less body fat, Williams played like Barkley in the Flames’ 81-77 victory.

Williams (pictured), a graduate of Austin High School, dominated the paint with a variety of layups, putbacks and tip-ins. To top off his performance, he helped preserve the win with a steal from Loyola guard David Bailey with 15 seconds left and the Flames ahead by four. The Ramblers were never able to get off a good shot down the stretch.

“Armond Williams was the key to the game,” Loyola coach Larry Farmer said. “In our scouting reports, we listed him as a must-defend. He out-worked us. He did whatever he needed to do to win.”

“My main focus is to come out and play hard defense and rebound the ball,” Williams said. “Then everything falls into place.”

UIC’s point guard Martell Bailey often played pitch-and-catch with Williams down in the low post, while finishing with a season-high 11 assists.

“I think Armond is a very aggressive player down there,” Martell Bailey said. “He knows how to get position and make the right moves.”

Williams often out-maneuvered taller Loyola players like Paul McMillan and Demetrius Williams for rebounds and good post-up opportunities.

“Once you get past David [Bailey], they’re a big team,” UIC coach Jimmy Collins said of Loyola’s height advantage at most positions.

Banks broke a 75-75 tie with a three-pointer from the right corner with 1:14 left. After the teams traded baskets, David Bailey missed a potential game-tying three-pointer with about 20 seconds left. Kyle Kickert split a pair of free throws for the final point.

“We knew it was going to be a war,” Collins said. “I’m sure Chicago enjoyed this game. It was a well-played game. There were a few moments of hard play, but it wasn’t dirty.”

Banks added 21 points and six rebounds for the Flames (11-4, 5-1 in the Horizon League), while Jonathan Schneiderman added nine points.

David Bailey topped Loyola with (8-12, 4-4) with 20 points and nine assists. McMillan, Demetrius Williams and Kevin Clancy each scored 15 points, while Williams grabbed 10 rebounds.

The game was close for the first 13 minutes until UIC went on a 10-0 run to open a 30-20 lead en route to a 39-30 halftime advantage. Banks hit a three-pointer on the Flames’ opening possession in the second half to extend the lead to 12 before the Ramblers came back.

Loyola took a 61-59 lead on McMillan’s eight-foot jumper with 9:16 left in the game. UIC scored the next six points to retake a four-point lead, but the Ramblers responded with an 8-2 run, capped off by Shohn Williams’ three-point play, to go up 71-67 with 5:05 to play.

“This was game that lived up to all its billing,” Farmer said. “I thought our kids played really hard. We had it close at the end and had a chance to steal it.”

DON’T BRAG: Martell Bailey can appreciate the hard-fought victory over his brother, but knows another meeting is about a month away.

“I’m not going to bring it up,” Martell Bailey said. “We have to face them another time, and we might have to face them in [the Horizon tournament].”

The Flames travel to the Gentile Center Thursday, Feb. 27 for the rematch in what is Loyola’s last regular season game.

FREE THROWS NOT SO FREE: The only thing Armond Williams couldn't do consistently was make free throws. Williams made just 6-of-13, while the Flames struggled as a team at 14-of-27 (52 percent). Loyola, meanwhile shot 15-of-16 for 94 percent.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: Three technical fouls were called in the game. Loyola’s McMillan and UIC’s Schneiderman were called for a double technical when the teams wrestled for a loose ball in the first half. Loyola’s Corey Minnifield received a technical moments later for arguing with an official.

In UIC’s last three home games, there have been seven technical fouls called.

UP NEXT: The Flames, seeking to extend a four-game winning streak, hit the road for a brief trip to Youngstown State this Saturday. The game tips off at 1 p.m. Central time and will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 1000.

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