Nov. 24, 2014
UIC GAME NOTES
HEADLINES
Opening Tip
The Flames will seek a 2-0 home record on Tuesday night as they host NAIA-member Saint Xavier at 7 p.m. CT. UIC has played the Cougars a mere three times since turning Division-I in 1981, having lost two of those three matchups. Tuesday's meeting will be the first since Nov. 23, 2005, when Saint Xavier spoiled UIC's home opener by a final of 74-73. The Cougars currently hold a 3-2 record with a 0-1 mark in CCAC play and are averaging nearly 10 threes per contest.
Strong in the Second Half
UIC has proven they have what it takes to compete in the second half as they have either outscored or tied all five opponents in the final frame (DePaul: 41-26, WIU: 32-29, Yale: 32-30, Kent: 31-31, SIU: 39-32). The Flames own a +5.4 scoring margin in the second half along with a better field goal, three-point and free throw shooting percentage than their competitor. UIC's defense has forced opponents to commit nearly seven turnovers in the second half on average and also limit their shooting percentage to a mere 35.8 percent.
Wiegand Earns All-Tournament Honors
Junior Jake Wiegand was named to the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of Sunday's play. The junior forward averaged 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.3 percent from the field during the weekend's three games. He scored a game-high 26 points against tournament-host Kent State this past Saturday, his second career 20-point effort, while hitting a career-best 11 field goals. Eleven buckets ranks tied-for-14th in the country so far this season in single-game performances.
Jay Harris Makes UIC Debut
Fifth-year transfer Jay Harris made his UIC debut against Kent State this past weekend and scored 14 points. He followed that up with a team-high 19 points against Southern Illinois on 8-of-14 shooting with two steals and two assists. The Aurora, Ill., native averaged 10.3 points per game for Wagner last season and shot 38.6 percent from behind the arc.
Keep the Home Fires Burning
With a 67-64 win against Western Illinois on Nov. 17, UIC improves to 27-7 overall in home openers since turning Division I in 1981. If the Flames claim victory against Saint Xavier on Tuesday night, the win would mark the first back-to-back triumphs at home for UIC since March of 2013.
Diaper Dandy
Freshman Tai Odiase has made an immediate impact through his first five collegiate games as he ranks second in the Horizon League in total blocked shots with 10. Odiase also serves as UIC's career-active leader with 10 swats. The last UIC player to have recorded 10 blocks through the first five games of the season was Darrin Williams in 2011-12.
Historic Double-Double Performance
After Jake Wiegand's 28-point and 11-rebound performance against Western Illinois on Nov. 17, he became the first UIC player to post back-to-back double-doubles to start the season in 16 years. Former Flames big man Bryant Notree achieved consecutive double-doubles on Nov. 16 and Nov. 24 to start the 1998-99 season against Purdue and Northern Illinois, respectively. Wiegand also became the first player to record 28 and 11 since Jan. 7, 2010, when current assistant coach Jeremy Buttell totaled 31 points and 12 rebounds.
Sweet 16 for Miller
Newcomer D'Juan Miller scored 16 points against Southern Illinois this past Sunday, a new Division-I career-high for Miller. The junior point guard scored nine of those 16 points in the first half, including a three-pointer in the final seconds of the frame. Miller also leads the Flames in assists with an average of 3.6 per game, a mark that ranks eighth in the Horizon League.
Free Buckets for Brown
Senior Marc Brown has been nearly automatic from the free throw line this season as he is shooting 94.1 percent (16-of-17), a mark that ranks 39th in the nation. Brown actually missed his first foul shot of the season against SIU this past Sunday after he had sank 18 straight dating back to last year. The Dallas native owns 244 career made free throws and needs just 33 more to crack UIC's top 10 all-time leaderboard.
Whitaker Back in Action
Redshirt freshman Lance Whitaker played in his first collegiate game this past Saturday since suffering a season-ending knee injury last year. Whitaker played in three games last season before receiving a medical redshirt. The Bartlett, Ill., native scored nine points in two games over the weekend.
In-State Play
Eight of UIC's 15 non-league games this season will be against in-state opponents. That total is the highest among all 13 D-I men's basketball teams in the state of Illinois. DePaul, SIU-Carbondale and Chicago State will play four in-state teams, while Northern Illinois and SIU-Edwardsville are schedule to play three. Bradley, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Loyola, and Western Illinois have two in-state games on the slate as Big Ten members Northwestern and Illinois have one and zero, respectively.
Good Stuff from the Charity Stripe
The Flames have been taking advantage of their trips to the free throw line this season as they are shooting a Horizon League-best 82.3 percent (93-of-113), which also ranks second in the nation. UIC touts eight players that are hitting more than 80 percent of their foul shots so far this season.
Marc Brown Eyes 1,000 Career Points
Senior guard Marc Brown needs 220 more points to reach 1,000 for his career as he currently owns 780 points. He would become the 21st player in program history to do so and the first since current graduate manager Robo Kreps (2007-11). Brown scored 349 points last season which nearly doubled his 188 total from his sophomore campaign.
Looking Ahead
The UIC men's basketball team will face a tough non-league opponent on Saturday as they travel to Dayton, Ohio for a matchup against the Flyers. Dayton advanced to the elite eight in last year's NCAA Tournament, defeating Ohio State, Syracuse and Stanford along the way. The Flyers are receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Poll and have beaten Texas A&M and Boston College so far this season.
