The Truman Women’s Basketball team spoiled the University of Illinois-Chicago’s season opener by jumping on the UIC Flames for 18 straight points to start the game and knocked off the Division I school by a 64-51 in the team’s final exhibition game on Friday night.
It was the regular season opener for the Flames, who finished 28-13 in the Horizon League last season.
Courtney Strait scored 11 of the Bulldogs first 18 points as they raced out to the huge margin early.
Rachel Story scored the first points for UIC seven minutes into the game but Bianca Szafarowicz scored five more for the Bulldogs to take a 23-4 lead midway through the opening period.
The Flames started the game 0-for-7 from the field with seven turnovers before scoring.
Truman led by 10 at the break.
UIC got as close as seven with 10:16 left to play but Strait buried her final three-pointer and Szafarowicz followed with another bucket to push the lead back to a dozen.
The Flames scored four straight to cut it to eight before Nicole Gloor and Amy Briggs each connected from downtown to expand the lead back out to 16.
Briggs would finish with a game-high 16 points while Gloor and Strait each had 14.
Truman shot 43% for the game while UIC was held to 38% and was 1-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Rachel Story led the home team with 17 points.
The Bulldogs will open up their regular season next Saturday afternoon when they host McKendree (Ill.) University at 2:00 p.m. in Pershing Arena.
Courtesy Truman State University
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