CHICAGO, Ill. – UIC had its fewest amount of turnovers in a single game this season on Sunday, but the Flames also had their lowest percentage from the field as they fell to the visiting Eastern Illinois Panthers, 90-76.
 
The Flames had only nine miscues during the game, their lowest amount since committing 12 against Elon on Nov. 23. Unfortunately, the shots weren't falling with regularity and UIC was limited to its lowest shooting percentage of the year, a clip of 39 percent.
 
Freshman Marcus Ottey scored in double figures for the sixth time in eight career games to lead the Flames with 16 points off the bench. Classmate Godwin Boahen added 11 points, six rebounds and three assists as a reserve, while Dikembe Dixson and Dominique Matthews chipped in with 10 points apiece.
 
EIU's Cornell Johnston led all players with a season-high 21 points, 12 of which came via the 3-pointer. He fell just shy of a double-double thanks to a season-high nine assists.
 
How It Happened

• After both teams turned it over on their opening possession of the game, they each scored the second time down with junior Kyle Guice nailing a 3-pointer from the left corner to get the Flames on the scoreboard.
• Stingy defense was the theme in the early going and teams traded brief leads through the first 12-plus minutes of the first half. UIC gained a 16-15 advantage with 7:41 remaining in the first period when freshman Tarkus Ferguson came down with long rebound and found classmate Boahen in transition for a 3-pointer from the right slot. Boahen's shot prompted the Panthers to use their first timeout.
• The Flames went cold once again from the floor over the final and EIU concluded the frame on a 12-4 run over the final 2:49 to take a 41-30 advantage into the locker room at the half.
• UIC shot just 33 percent (9-of-27) in the first half and it was beaten on the backboard, 27-18.
• Eastern Illinois received 20 points off the bench in the first half and two players had seven apiece. The Flames had 12 points from the bench, eight of which came from Ottey.
• It was a 10-point game following a layup by Ferguson, but a Johnston jumper on EIU next possession sparked a 10-point run over 1:23.
• The Panthers pushed the least to 23 points on multiple occasions in the second half, last with 9:12 remaining when Casey Teson connected from downtown.
• UIC turned up its full-court pressure and rattled off 18 of the game's next 23 points to take the deficit all the way back down to 10 points with 4:45 to play after Dominique Matthews guided in a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
• Johnston countered with his own deuce on the other end for EIU and the Panthers would maintain a lead of no fewer than 12 points the rest of the way.

 
Beyond The Box Score

• Ottey's 16 points matched a career high, and it marked the first time he led the Flames in scoring this season.
• Clint Robinson matched a season high with seven rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench for UIC. The junior also added eight points, a block and an assist.
• Boahen sank three 3-pointers Sunday for the third time in his young career.
• Four UIC freshmen who saw at least 15 minutes of action a piece – Boahen, Ferguson, Ottey and Santos – did not commit a single turnover. Three of the four (Boahen, Ferguson and Ottey) combined for 10 of UIC's 12 assists.
• Ferguson led the Flames with five assists and Sunday marked the second time in eight games that he dished out as many helpers without a single turnover.
• Eastern Illinois made 12 3-pointers and shot 54.5 percent from beyond the arc. Both numbers are high marks for a UIC foe this season.

 
What's Next?

• UIC will be off from competition until Saturday, Dec. 10, when they invade the desert for a clash against Grand Canyon at 8 p.m. CT.
• The 'Lopes won the first meeting between the two programs on Dec. 2, 2014, 66-61, at the UIC Pavilion.
• A free audio stream of the game will be available on UICFlames.com with the Voice of the Flames Jonathan Hood courtside to call the action.
• The contest begins a brief two-game road trip that concludes on Wednesday, Dec. 14, when UIC makes the short trip to Lincoln Park to battle crosstown rival DePaul at McGrath-Phillips Arena.