Box Score Jan. 28, 2016
CHICAGO -- UIC knocked 22 points off a sizable 24-point deficit with a furious second-half comeback, but the Flames fell just short of victory against the visiting Youngstown State Penguins Thursday night, falling 82-78.
Thanks to a red-hot performance from beyond the arc, YSU built up a 24-point lead with 3:57 to go in the first half. The Penguins had knocked down 10 3-pointers by that point in the ballgame, including five on consecutive possessions over a span of just 1:18. The Flames outscored the visitors 6-0 in the final four minutes to help set the stage for the epic second-half rally.
It was an 18-point game at the half, but a spirited 16-4 run by the home team over the next 3:38 made it only a five-point game with 14:40 remaining on the clock. The surge started with back-to-back 3-point baskets from Dikembe Dixson, and it featured all five players on the floor contributing on the offensive end. UIC also coaxed a pair of turnovers and another handful of difficult shots for the Penguins.
Youngstown State quietly pushed the lead back to 10, and later 11 points, but the Flames would not be doused so easily. Trailing 70-59 with 8:21 remaining, used another run, this time 7-0, to make it a four-point game with a shade over seven minutes to go. UIC fell behind again by nine with 3:47 left, but there was no quit in the squad.
With 29.9 seconds left in the contest, Dixson drilled his fourth 3-pointer of the half to make it a four-point game. YSU's Jorden Kaufman was fouled by Dixson, but he missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Najeal Young got the rebound, he got the ball ahead to Michael Kolawole, who was fouled with 23 ticks left. The freshman calmly buried both free throws to make it a two-point game. The Penguins got back up by four before a tip-in by Young made it a one-shot game again with five seconds left.
Dixson fouled YSU's Jordan Andrews, and he made both shots from the charity stripe to seal a four-point victory.
UIC received heroic performances from up and down its lineup in its first game of a five-game homestand. Dixson led all players with a career-high 32 points, and he matched his personal-best effort on the glass with 15 rebounds. His four 3-pointers also matched a career-high. Dixson wasn't the only one stuffing the stat sheet, however. Young and Tai Odiase each recorded a second double-double this season. Young scored 12 points and led all players with 16 rebounds, while Odiase added 13 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and six blocked shots. It was the third time in the last six games that the sophomore center sent back at least six shots.
Kolawole scored a career-high 15 points, while handing out a career-high five assists. The fifth member of UIC's starting lineup, Lance Whitaker, chipped in with a career-high four steals to go with four points and four assists. Each member of the starting-five (Dixson, Young, Odiase, Kolawole and Whitaker) played at least 34 minutes, while Kolawole matched a career-high with 38 minutes played for the second consecutive game.
The Flames destroyed the Penguins on the glass, 51-41, and in the paint, 44-20. The home team also scored 23 points off YSU's 13 turnovers, but ultimately Youngstown State's 42 points from beyond the arc sank UIC.
The Flames have a quick turnaround before their next home game. UIC welcomes Cleveland State to the UIC Pavilion on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 3 p.m., as the team's open the second half of the conference slate. CSU captured the first meeting on Jan. 18, 70-53.
UIC Notes: UIC started the game with Dikembe Dixson, Michael Kolawole, Tai Odiase, Lance Whitaker and Najeal Young, marking the fourth time this season, and third consecutive outing, that head coach Steve McClain has opened with that group ... Dixson and Odiase have each started all 20 games ... Dixson's 32 points were the most for a UIC player since Jay Harris scored as many vs. UCF on Dec. 11, 2014 ... Dixson has played at least 40 minutes in each of the last three games ... UIC made eight 3-pointers in the second half after missing all eight attempts in the first ... After receiving three double-doubles in the first 16 games, the Flames have posted six in the last four contests ... UIC leads the all-time series vs. YSU, 25-11 ... Thursday's game was the start of a five-game homestand, and a stretch of seven of eight at the UIC Pavilion.
