Evanston 50, Mt. Carmel 40

Mt. Carmel didn't take a free ride to its first supersectional berth since 1985.

But the Caravan didn't get many free looks from the field against Evanston's 3-2 zone in the Class 4A supersectional at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.

And when the Caravan went to the free-throw line, it was just 9 of 23 in a 50-40 loss Tuesday night before 5,135.

"We didn't play very well, especially in the second half," said Mt. Carmel coach Mike Flaherty. "I thought we played hard but we weren't very efficient against their zone. We haven't seen a zone team in awhile. It was just a tough night."

Mt. Carmel (22-10) which upset St. Ignatius, Farragut, DeLaSalle and Whitney Young to win a sectional title, shot just 30.4 percent from the field and 3 of 17 on 3-pointers.

"It wasn't that difficult," Mt. Carmel guard D.J. Cooper said of Evanston's zone. "Their trap gave us some trouble. This arena was a different shooting background than we're used to."

Mt. Carmel shut out Evanston the first 6½ minutes of the second quarter and was tied 17-17 on a rebound basket by Desmond Young. But a 3-pointer by Sean Crogart-Key of Evanston eight seconds before halftime started a 12-0 run that put it in control.

"It was very important. Very important," Evanston coach Bobby Locke said of the 3-pointer before halftime. "Everyone pretty much had Mt. Carmel going downstate. I was insulted."

Stephen Rudnicki led Evanston with 14 points and Crogart-Key added 10 points.

Mt. Carmel missed 10 of its first 12 free throws and was unable to cut into the Wildkits' lead.

A 3-pointer by freshman Tracy Abrams got Mt. Carmel within 45-38 with 1:05 to play. But a free throw and breakaway layup by Crogart-Key sealed Evanston's first trip downstate since 2003.

"Unfortunately, I don't think you saw what we've been the last two weeks," Flaherty said. "We're a pretty good free throw shooting team, 65 to 70 percent, and the guys going there are pretty good free throw shooters. For whatever reason, it looked like the rims were a little tight and our shooters were real tight."