DeKALB, Ill. – UIC got out a fast start Friday afternoon and the Flames weathered a late comeback as they downed the Cal Poly Mustangs in their second game at the NIU Thanksgiving Classic, 84-71.
 
It was the fifth time in as many games this season that the fast-paced Flames reached at least 80 points and the second time in the last three contests that the squad shot better than 50 percent from the field.
 
The Flames never trailed Friday as they roared out to a 9-0 start over the game's first 2:33. UIC later used a 10-2 run to finish the half, claiming a 21-point lead at the break, matching its largest of the game. Cal Poly chopped the deficit to eight points with 6:47 remaining, but a 9-2 run over the next 2:12 created some breathing room.
 
Sophomore Dikembe Dixson led four Flames in double figures with a game-high 24 points. Freshman Godwin Boahen added 14 and three assists in 30 minutes off the bench.
 
How It Happened

• UIC scored nine unanswered points over the first 2:33 to start the game. K.J. Santos had five early points, while Dikembe Dixson and Tai Odiase had two apiece.
• The surge extended to a 13-2 run over the first 3:48 that was capped when Odiase completed an alley-oop from Tarkus Ferguson
• The Flames continued to exert relentless pressure on the defensive end and convert at the basket as they pushed the lead to 17 points on a jumper from Michael Kolawole with 10:15 remaining in the first period.
• After the Mustangs clawed back to within 10 with 7:09 to go, UIC turned up the heat once again.
• It was a 13-point lead in the final 3:30 before the Flames used another lengthy run, this one 10-2, to close the half and take a 21-point edge into the locker room at the break.
• Cal Poly flipped the script on UIC as it opened the second half on a 10-2 run to make it a 13-point game with plenty of time remaining, 16:20.
• Donovan Fields came up with a steal and converted his layup attempt with 9:33 to go to get the Mustangs to within nine points as UIC held a 62-53 lead.
• Cal Poly found itself still down by nine with 6:09 remaining, but a quick 6-0 spurt that featured a bucket from Ferguson and a pair of free throws from both Marcus Ottey and Dixson.
• The Mustangs used their final timeout with 1:28 remaining and came out of the respite in a full-court press. The Flames were able to advance the ball and Dixson scored five points on the next two UIC possessions to get the lead up 16 points with under a minute to go.

Beyond The Box Score

• After shooting 1-of-17 from 3-point territory last time out, Santos buried the team's first attempt from distance Friday, connecting from the right wing just 46 seconds into the contest.
• The Flames finished the game by making nine of 19 3-point attempts (47.4 percent). The team has eclipsed 47 percent from deep in two of its first five games
• UIC led by 21 points at the break as Clint Robinson beat the buzzer with a layup. It was the Flames' largest lead of the season after 20 minutes of play.
• Dixson scored 17 of his game-high 24 points in the first half. The Matewan, W. Va., native has eclipsed 20 points in three of UIC's first five games.
• Boahen scored a career-high 14 points in a career-high 30 minutes off the bench.
• The Flames shot 82.1 percent (23-of-28) from the charity stripe, its best mark of the season. Dixson made all 11 of his free-throw attempts Friday, while Santos, Ottey and Dominique Matthews were also perfect with two apiece.
• Matthews scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.
• After netting only 12 points last time out against Elon, the Flames' bench produced 28 points against Cal Poly.
• Odiase made the 50^th start of his career Friday. He has started all 35 games under head coach Steve McClain. Dixson has also made 35 consecutive starts.

 
What's Next?

• UIC will conclude the NIU Thanksgiving Classic with its third games in four days on Saturday afternoon.
• The Flames will face the host Huskies at the Convocation Center 3:30 p.m. CT.
• NIU is 0-2 in the Thanksgiving Classic after narrowly falling to Cal Poly in the opener and dropping a double-overtime decision to Elon on Friday.
• The game will be streamed on ESPN3 with the hometown audio call available on UICFlames.com.