Jan. 17, 2016
CHICAGO -- UIC closes a busy stretch with its third game in five days, and it opens another three-game road trip, when it visits Cleveland State on Monday, January 18 for a 6 p.m. CST contest.
Fans can listen to the Flames live on ESPN1000 Chicago. Familiar UIC voices Jonathan Hood and Kenny Williams will have the call, while Chris Bleck begins the festivities with the pregame show at 5:45 p.m. CST.
For more information about Monday's game, please click the Game Notes PDFs above.
FINISHING STRONG
Statistically speaking, UIC has been a more productive team in the second half of games this season. The Flames have scored an average of 7.5 more points per game in the final period, while shooting better percentages from the floor, the free-throw line and beyond the arc. Individually, sophomore Tai Odiase has had a significant impact down the stretch as he averages 5.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in the second half this season compared to 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in the first. Freshman Dikembe Dixson has also provided late contributions with an average of 9.1 points in the final 20 minutes. He has also made 15 of his 22 3-pointers on the season in the second half this year.
THESE KIDS CAN PLAY
UIC's roster features eight underclassmen, including six freshmen, one sophomore and one redshirt sophomore. That group, which comprises 57 percent of the roster has combined to play 2,122 minutes through 16 games, or 66.3 percent of the entire team's total. Underclassmen have scored 695 of 1,060 points (65.6 percent) for the Flames, while grabbing 373 of 639 rebounds (58.4 percent). Freshman Dikembe Dixson leads UIC in all three categories in his first collegiate season.
SHARING THE ROCK
UIC has registered double-digit assists in 12 of its 16 games, reaching 15-plus helpers seven times. The Flames notched 20-plus assists in a single game for the third time this season when they hit the mark vs. Green Bay on Thursday. Lance Whitaker had a career-high nine assists against the Phoenix, which is the best single-game total for any UIC distributor this season. He's led the squad in assists nine times in 16 games, while Paris Burns has paced the bunch five times.
ROTATION ROULETTE
In 15 of 16 games this season, UIC head coach Steve McClain has used no fewer than five players off his bench. The lone exception came on Dec. 16 against Illinois State when only three reserves were pressed into action. Michael Kolawole, Gabe Snider and Jake Wiegand all played against the Redbirds that night. Kolawole notched career highs in points (11) and rebounds (6) against Milwaukee on Saturday. Though he's started four times, Najeal Young has come on in a reserve role in nine games, averaging 4.6 ppg and 4.0 rpg in those tilts.
MILESTONE WATCH
UIC, which began NCAA Division I play in 1981, needs only one win to reach No. 500. The first win of the Division I era came on Dec. 4, 1981 at Wisconsin. The first team was fielded in 1947, and the program owns 808 all-time victories.
The trip continues on Friday, Jan. 22 with UIC's first-ever trip to play Horizon League newcomer Northern Kentucky. The team's stretch of five games in 11 days concludes on Sunday, Jan. 24 with another conference clash at Wright State.
