CHICAGO – UIC worked inside out on Tuesday night and the Flames downed the Milwaukee Panthers in an Horizon League contest, 71-57.
 
Junior Tai Odiase posted 20 points and 12 rebounds in the win, leading the Flames in both categories. It was his fourth double-double of the season, and second against a League opponent. The Glenwood, Ill., native entered the game ranked sixth in the nation with 3.0 blocks per game and he added six more against the Panthers.
 
UIC moved to 4-2 in conference play, and into a tie for third place with Oakland. The Flames won only three Horizon League games a year ago. UIC has won 11 games overall this year, the most since the 2012-13 campaign when the program posted 18 wins.
 
How It Happened

• UIC got off to a fast start Tuesday night. The Flames scored the game's first five points and they opened up an eight-point lead at 12-4 when Dominique Matthews splashed a 3-pointer home with 14:59 remaining in the period.
• After Milwaukee pulled to within three points in just over two minutes, UIC put together six unanswered points, capped off by Odiase's two-handed flush off an alley-oop feed from Tarkus Ferguson. His second dunk of the half gave the home team a 20-11 cushion with 10:25 remaining in the period.
• The Panthers got back to within three points again when UIC's defense helped create offense. The squad forced a shot-clock violation, Milwaukee's seventh turnover, and that led to the final media timeout of the half. After the stoppage, K.J. Santos scored and ended an offensive drought of more than four minutes.
• A pair of free throws from Matthews with exactly 60 seconds left created an eight-point lead once again for UIC. Milwaukee's Bryce Nze scored in the waning seconds to create his team's six-point deficit at the break.
• The Flames quickly got the lead back to double digits less than two minutes into the second half. Michael Kolawole's old fashion 3-point play gave UIC a 36-26 cushion with 18:01 remaining in the game.
• Three different baskets by Matthews – at 15:32, 14:12, and 12:02 – gave UIC separate 13-point leads, their largest of the game to that point. The advantage reached 16 points when Godwin Boahen connected from downtown with a bit more than 10 minutes to go in regulation.
• The Flames continued to impress at both ends of the floor and they eventually extended the lead to a game-high 19 points with 5:06 remaining on a triple from Boahen off a feed from Kolawole. Milwaukee shaved six points off the deficit with under two minutes remaining, but it came no closer in UIC's 71-57 triumph.

 Beyond The Box Score

• Odiase owns a team-high four double-doubles this season. It was the eighth double-double for a UIC player this season and fourth in the last four games.
• Odiase hauled in a season-high six offensive rebounds and he blocked at least six shots for the third time this season (8 vs. UTSA and 8 vs. Detroit Mercy).
• The Flames won the battle on the boards, 38-31. It was the 13^th time in 19 games that UIC collected more caroms than the opposition, and the 10^th time coming out with a victory when it has happened.
• Four different Flames scored in double figures, including Matthews, who had 14 points. In UIC's last three contests – all victories – the redshirt freshman is averaging 15.3 points per game off the bench.
• Boahen was also in double figures for the ninth time in his young career. The 16-point effort was the top mark in six Horizon League games, and the most since scoring 19 against Loyola Chicago on Dec. 17. The Toronto, native sank a career-high four 3-pointers Tuesday.
• The Flames improved to 9-1 when leading at the half this season. UIC had 13 turnovers Tuesday, but only five in the second half. Four of the five second-half miscues came in the final five minutes.
• UIC shot 53.8 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from beyond the arc in the second half. In the last two games, the Flames are shooting 54.1 percent (13-of-24) from 3-point range in the second half and overtime.
• Steve McClain's squad held the opposition below 60 points for the fifth time this season. UIC has held the opposition below that mark in half of its Horizon League contests (Oakland- 59, Cleveland State 54, Milwaukee - 57).
• UIC's last three-game winning streak came near the end of the 2014-15 season when the squad downed Wright State in the regular season finale on Feb. 28 before defeating those same Raiders and Oakland to begin the 2015 Horizon League Tournament. The last time the Flames won three-in-a-row against different teams happened between Jan. 23-31, 2013.

 What's Next?

• UIC will hit the road on Sunday, Jan. 22, for the second meeting of the season with the Valparaiso Crusaders (15-4, 4-1 Horizon League).
• Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. CT and the game will be televised by the American Sports Network. Locally, the contest will be carried by Comcast SportsNet Chicago. It will also stream on ESPN3 and the ESPN app.
• The Crusaders downed the Flames in the first meeting, 70-59, on Dec. 30. Ferguson led the Flames with 16 points, including 15 in the second half, during the first Horizon League game of his young collegiate career.