Box Score Jan. 30, 2016
CHICAGO -- UIC junior Najeal Young buried the game-winning jumper from the right wing with two seconds remaining in overtime to help the Flames overcome the Cleveland State Vikings Saturday, 72-70. It was the first Horizon League victory of the season, and the first under first-year head coach Steve McClain.
In front of a raucous crowd at the UIC Pavilion, the Flames staged a series of significant comebacks throughout the afternoon. UIC did build a slim six-point lead early in the game, 13-7, but after the Vikings got a 3-pointer with 8:44 remaining in the first period, they stayed in control for a long stretch. The lead reached 12 points for the visitors just 4:01 later, but the defense on the home side kept digging in. The Flames held Cleveland State scoreless over the final 4:45 of the half, and a 3-pointer and a free throw from Markese McGuire made it an eight-point game at the break.
UIC methodically chipped away after the break and outscored CSU, 10-4, over the first 2:30 of the second half to trim it down to a two-point deficit. Each time the Flames got close, however, the Vikings countered. Twice the second-half lead reached nine points, and it was a seven-point game with 2:12 after CSU's Jibri Blount scored underneath.
Over the final two minutes of regulation, the home team fed off the energetic crowd and turned up the tempo on defense. Three Cleveland State turnovers, and a pair of missed free throws down the stretch, helped the Flames outscore their adversaries 7-0 over the final 1:54 to force the extra session.
The Vikings scored the first four points of overtime before UIC's Lance Whitaker drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner with 3:44 left on the clock. Cleveland State then had a three-point lead when Young made 1-of-2 from the charity stripe with 2:52 to go. After Michael Kolawole stole the ball away from Blount, UIC could not convert, but the defense registered another stop when Young ripped down a rebound with 1:45 left. Jake Wiegand, playing in his first game since Jan. 18 at Cleveland State, scored inside for the Flames with 79 seconds left to knot the score at 70 points apiece.
Wiegand then got inside and got another rebound on a held ball to set up what would become the game-winning possession. With leading scorer Dikembe Dixson blanketed by the defense, Whitaker calmly found Young for the biggest basket of the season to date, putting the squad ahead, 72-70.
Cleveland State tried to inbound the ball the length of the floor, but the heave sailed long , giving UIC the ball back under its own goal. Wiegand missed a pair of free throws, but the Vikings could do nothing of substance after grabbing the rebound.
Two days after registering his second double-double of the season, Young was up to the task once again Saturday. The Milwaukee, Wis., native led all players with 15 rebounds, while pouring in a career-high 17 points in 39 minutes. The junior also led the Flames with a career-high three steals, while handing out a pair of assists. His efforts inside were particularly valuable on this day because UIC played the final 9:54 of the game without the services of centers Julian Torres and Tai Odiase, both of whom had fouled out.
Dixson was another dynamic offensive force for the home team as he scored 24 points, including 17 in the second half. The freshman played 43 minutes, marking the fourth consecutive contest that he went for 40 or more. Whitaker also matched a career high with 43 minutes played against the Vikings.
Wiegand was a key contributor off the bench with seven points, two rebounds and a bundle of energy for the Flames. The senior had missed the last three games and parts of fourth after sustaining an injury in the first meeting with the Vikings.
After a sluggish start, UIC shot 50 percent from the field in the second half as they roared back. The team also shot a season-high 48 free throws. Dixson shot 16 by himself, while the Vikings shot only 22 free throws as a team.
UIC will have a week off from competition now before hosting the Valparaiso Crusaders on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. That game marks the third in a five-game homestand.
UIC Notes: The Flames secured the 500th win of the Division I era ... UIC started the game with Dikembe Dixson, Michael Kolawole, Tai Odiase, Lance Whitaker and Najeal Young, marking the fifth time this season, and fourth consecutive outing, that head coach Steve McClain has opened with that group ... It is the most-frequently used grouping of the season ... Dixson and Odiase have each started all 21 games ... Young recorded UIC's ninth double-double of the season ... Dixson has played at least 40 minutes in each of the last four games ... He was UIC's leading scorer for the 13th time this season ... Young led the Flames in rebounding for the seventh time ... Odiase has blocked at least three shots in eight of UIC's 21 games ... He averaged 4.5 blocks per game against Cleveland State ... Saturday's game was the second game in a five-game homestand, and a stretch of seven of eight at the UIC Pavilion.
