Illinois-Chicago 74, Eastern Michigan 48
Daniel Barnes scored a career-high 30 points as host Illinois-Chicago surpassed its victory total from 2011-12 with a 74-48 victory over Eastern Michigan Saturday at the Pavilion.
The victory was the eighth straight for the Flames (9-1), ranked No. 16 in one mid-major national poll.
Illinois-Chicago guard Gary Talton added 12 points and seven assists.
The Eagles (6-3) were led by 10 points from forward Glenn Bryant.
The Flames held the Eagles to 20 of 59 shooting (33.9 percent), the seventh game they've kept an opponent under 35 percent. Illinois-Chicago was 25-of-54 (46.3 percent) from the field, including 12 of 29 (41.4 percent) from beyond the arc.
The hosts trailed only once on the way to a 24-19 halftime lead. The Flames outscored the Eagles 17-7 in the first eight minutes of the second half to open a 41-26 advantage. The lead expanded from there and hit 30 points at 74-44 with less than a minute left.
The victory was the Flames' first in five all-time meetings with the Eagles.
Illinois-Chicago opens a three-game road trip on Tuesday at Western Illinois. Eastern Michigan is at Michigan next Thursday.
