CHICAGO – In a rare mid-season exhibition game, UIC knocked off Olivet Nazarene in a pre-Thanksgiving tune-up Wednesday night at the UIC Pavilion, 107-83.
 
The Flames made 26 field goals in the first half and shot 70 percent to set the tone early. A lengthy 15-2 run midway through the opening period put the Tigers in the rearview mirror for good.
 
UIC's bench poured in 50 of the team's 107 points, while 64 of the points came from within the paint. The Flames shot an eye-popping 80.9 percent (34-of-42) from inside the arc in the exhibition victory.
 
Game Headlines

• Fine Fifteen: With score tied at 25 points apiece and just over nine minutes to go in the first half, Jacob Wiley picked up a slam dunk that ignited a 15-2 run for the Flames. The ball was spread around with five different players scoring during the surge. Marcus Ottey had a dunk of his own, a layup and a 3-pointer to account for seven of the 15 points.
• Everyone's Involved: Ten different Flames played in the first half and eight of the 10 scored at least three points. Ottey led the group with 14 points off the bench in 15 minutes during the half.
• Second Unit Sets Tone: UIC received 27 points off the bench in the first half, while Olivet Nazarene's non-starters netted only two points. In addition to 14 from Ottey, freshmen Michael Diggins and Jacob Wiley posted five points apiece in the first half and Godwin Boahen added a 3-pointer.
• Automatic Inside the Arc: While UIC's overall numbers from the field were spectacular at 69.4 percent with 43 field goals, the conversion rate from inside the 3-point line was almost unbelievable. The Flames shot 81 percent (34-of-42) from inside the arc, amassing 64 points in the paint.
• Help From My Friends: UIC accumulated 33 assists in the victory on 43 field goals, a clip of 76.7 percent. Tarkus Ferguson paced the squad with a game-high 13 helpers, while Michael Diggins added six. The program's single-game assist record in the regular season is 31, which has been done twice, but not since Dec. 9, 1987 against Northeastern Illinois.
• Fresh Contributors: Newcomers Diggins and Wiley had memorable performances. Diggins did not miss any of his five field-goal attempts as he scored 13 points to go along with his six assists in 24 minutes. Wiley chipped in with nine points, three rebounds and two assists in the win.

Highlights



Notables

• Ferguson registered 13 assists in both of UIC's exhibition wins this season. Had the statistics from those contests counted, then that number would be a career high for the sophomore. As it stands his total of 12 against George Washington in the 2017 College Basketball Invitational is the high mark.
• Odiase averaged 21 points in the two exhibition games this season, while missing only one of his 20 shot attempts (95 percent).
• No player on the Flames exceeded 29 minutes played, while no one played fewer than seven minutes. Ottey played a game-high 29 minutes while leading all scorers with 23 points.
• UIC's 107 points are the most scored in an exhibition or regular season game under head coach Steve McClain. The previous record, 105, came in an overtime win at Milwaukee on Feb. 4, 2017.

Postgame Reaction





Up Next

• UIC resumes the regular on Sunday, Nov. 26 with a matchup at No. 8 Kentucky. The game tips off from inside Rupp Arena at 5 p.m. CT and it will be televised on the SEC Network.
• It will be UIC's first time this season playing outside the UIC Pavilion after opening the regular season with four games at home for only the third time in the Division I era (since 1981-82).
• The Flames will be going up against an Associated Press top-25 team for the first time since Dec. 18, 2010, when UIC took down 12^th ranked Illinois, 57-54, at the United Center.
• UIC has three wins all-time against top-25 foes. In addition to the victory over the Fighting Illini, the Flames took down No. 12 Butler in overtime on Jan. 10, 2007 and No. 25 Michigan State on Dec. 12, 1989.