VALPARAISO, Ind. –  In the second meeting of the season between two Horizon League foes, UIC could not overcome Valparaiso on Sunday afternoon at the Athletics-Recreation Center, falling 96-65.
 
The loss put an end to a three-game winning streak for the Flames (11-9, 4-3 Horizon League). It also marked the end of a three-game road winning streak that stretched back to a five-point win at DePaul on Dec. 14.
 
Tarkus Ferguson and Dominique Matthews paced UIC with 12 points apiece Sunday. Ferguson added three rebounds and a game-high six assists for the Flames. Matthews was one of three Flames with five rebounds in the contest.
 
How It Happened

• The first half was characterized by a series of prolonged scoring droughts for the Flames. After Tai Odiase scored inside off an offensive rebound, UIC was held off the scoreboard until Matthews drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing over two minutes later. That shot cut the visitors' deficit to two points.
• It was a two-point game still when Valpo's Alec Peters scooped and scored with 15:29 left in the first half, giving his team an 11-7 lead and himself the title as the all-time leading scorer in program history.
• Prior to Peters' bucket, UIC's Clint Robinson got on the scoreboard for the first time with a two-handed slam inside. After that bucket, however, the Flames were limited to three points from the free throw line over nearly five minutes before Ferguson ended the drought from the field with a driving layup at the 11:02 mark. That basket had UIC within six, down 18-12.
• Peters gave Valpo its first double-digit lead, 11 points, with 7:53 left in the first period. That basket was part of a lengthy 22-2 run for the home team. Matthews finally stopped the swell when he scored five unanswered points of his own in a 20-second span.
• The Crusaders took advantage of 12 first-half turnovers by the Flames, scoring 23 points off the miscues. The home team led at the break, 50-26.
• UIC came out with a renewed energy to start the second half. The visitors scored the first six points of the period thanks to four points from Odiase and a layup from Michael Kolawole. That cut the deficit to 18 points with 17:56 remaining in the game.
• Valpo scored the next six points to go back up 56-32, and UIC would come no closer for the duration of the contest.

 Beyond The Box Score

• All nine players who saw action Sunday scored at least two points for UIC. It is the second time in the last three games that the Flames have accomplished that feat, also doing so on Jan. 14 at Youngstown State.
• Over the last four games, Matthews is averaging a team-high 14.5 points per contest off the bench. He has scored in double figures in each of UIC's last four games and in eight games total this season.
• Robinson returned to the rotation after missing one game with an upper body injury. He provided a spark off the bench with seven points and four rebounds, including three on the offensive end. The junior entered the contest ranked sixth in the Horizon League with 2.4 offensive rebounds per game. The Montego Bay, Jamaica, native logged 22 minutes, marking the fourth time this season he's registered 20 or more.
• Ferguson led the team in assists for the 14^th time in 20 games.
• After being out-rebounded by 13 in the first meeting on Dec. 30, UIC was a -2 on the glass Sunday.
• UIC's field goal percentage, 32.8 was its second lowest of the season. The Flames are winless in the three games that they have shot below 40 percent this season.
• Valpo seniors Peters (30) and Shane Hammink (24) combined to score 54 points. Peters added a game-high 10 rebounds.

 What's Next?

• The Flames return home to the UIC Pavilion on Friday, Jan. 27, when they will host the Northern Kentucky Norse at 7 p.m. It will be the first of two meetings this season between the two programs.
• On Saturday, Jan. 28, UIC will hold its 2017 Hall of Fame Banquet and Reunion. Among the inductees are longtime basketball coach and administrator Denny Wills and the entire 1997-98 men's basketball team, which was the first in program history to secure an NCAA Tournament bid.
• The weekend concludes with a matinee against the Wright State Raiders on Sunday, Jan. 29. That contest will tipoff at 3 p.m.