CHICAGO, Ill. – In their first meeting on the hardwood floor the Prairie View A&M men's basketball team could not secure the win, as a strong first-half effort wasn't enough in a 70-61 non-conference match upUI with C on Tuesday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Both teams scored buckets back-and-forth for the first five minutes of play, until the Flames used the three ball to take a nine-point lead at the 6:27 mark. 
• The Panthers Nikkei Rutty assisted PVAMU in cutting UIC's deficit to two points in the closing minutes of the first half.  Rutty paced the Panthers with 12 points in the first half of play. 
• Hegel Augustin scored 11 of his points in the first nine minutes of the contest.
• Jeremiah Gambrell's two free throws at the 2:18 mark put the Panthers started making up ground to get within five going into the half down 39-34. 
• The Flames came out of the halftime break continuing their three-point shooting pushing their lead to 10 at the 10:59 mark.
• UIC began using the charity stripe to continue their lead down the stretch as the Panthers fought to the end with Hegel hitting a three ball to make the score 66-61.  It just wasn't enough as the Flames closed out the game on the free throw line taking a 70-61 victory.

Hegel paced the Panthers with his second double-double of the season scoring a total of 20 points going 3-for-8 from around the arc along with 11 rebounds and three blocks.  Rutty finished with 12 points along with Braden Bell who had 12 points, seven rebounds and one steal.

UP NEXT:
The Panthers will play host to Montana on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 12:03 p.m. at a neutral site for the Coaches vs. Racism doubleheader.  The game will be played at Delmar Stadium in Houston.
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