Box Score Feb. 11, 2016
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 | UIC 64, Wright State 59
UIC Pavilion • Chicago, Ill.
Box Score | Box Score  |  |
CHICAGO -- UIC put forth a sensational defensive effort Thursday night to stifle the Wright State Raiders and pick up its second Horizon League victory of the season, 64-59.
A pair of underclassmen did a bulk of the heavy lifting on the offensive end as sophomore Tai Odiase and freshman Dikembe Dixson combined to score 44 of UIC's 64 points. Odiase netted 18 on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, while Dixson led all players with a game-high 26 points. The duo shot a combined 65.4 percent from the floor.
The Flames also got it done on the defensive end, holding the Raiders to a mark of 32.3 percent from the field. As UIC built its largest lead of the game, nine points, in the second half, Wright State shot just 26.5 percent from the field with nine baskets. One of the top 3-point-shooting squads in the Horizon League, WSU was suffocated on the perimeter and the Flames held them to 23.1 percent on 26 attempts.
When Wright State tried to get the ball inside, Odiase was less than welcoming. The Glenwood, Ill., native turned away seven shots, while Dixson added a pair and Lance Whitaker blocked one to give UIC a season-high 10 blocks. It was also the first time since Feb. 28, 2008 (11 vs. Youngstown State) that a group of Flames reached double-digit blocks in a single game.
After surrendering an early first-half lead, Dixson put the team on his back, so to speak, in the final three minutes of the frame. The Freeport, Ill., native scored all eight of his team's points in the final 2:37 of the stanza to help turn a five-point deficit into a two-point lead at the break.
Wright State scored the first five points of the second half, but UIC netted the next 10 beginning with a 3-pointer from Whitaker to take the lead and never look back. With 10:40 to go in the contest, Odiase scored inside off a feed from fellow big man Jake Wiegand to give the home team a nine-point lead, 52-43. Wright State used a 9-1 run to pull back to within a point at the 5:55 mark, but UIC's Michael Kolawole calmly sank two free throws 17 seconds later to create a bit of breathing room for the time being.
Najeal Young knifed through traffic and rose above the rim to throw down a vicious two-handed slam with 3:24 to go, giving the Flames a 59-54 advantage. Michael Karena scored the game's next four points for Wright State, but UIC never surrendered the lead thanks two free throws by Dixson and three from Najeal Young.
Not only was Dixson the game's leading scorer, but he was also the top rebounder with 12 caroms. That marked the fifth double-double of his young collegiate career. He also played at least 40 minutes for the fifth time in the last six games. He also stuffed the stat sheet with four assists, matching a career high, two blocks and a steal.
Whitaker added eight points to the score sheet, his highest output since the last meeting against the Raiders on Jan. 24. The Bartlett, Ill., native dished out a game-high five assists and crashed the glass well with a season-high seven rebounds to equal a personal-best effort.
As a team, UIC shot 48.9 percent (22-of-45), which is the highest mark in 12 Horizon League games. The team's 45 field-goal attempts were the fewest in any game this season. Wright State's 59 points score were the fewest by a conference foe under head coach Steve McClain, and the second fewest all year.
The Flames will play the final contest in a five-game homestand on Saturday, Feb. 13, when the welcome Horizon League newcomer Northern Kentucky to the UIC Pavilion for a 3 p.m. matinee. In the first-ever meeting between the two teams on Jan. 22 in Highland Heights, Ky., the Flames erased a late deficit to force overtime, but the home team prevailed in the extra period. Tickets are available for the rematch by calling 312-413-UIC1 (8421) or visiting Ticketmaster now.
UIC Notes:The game featured 11 lead changes and nine tie scores ... Wright's State's largest lead was five points with 4:39 to go in the first half ... UIC started the game with Dikembe Dixson, Michael Kolawole, Tai Odiase, Lance Whitaker and Najeal Young, marking the seventh time this season, and sixth 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 23 games ... Odiase moved past Nate Chambers ('84-'88) and into sixth place on the school's all-time blocks list (110) ... His 62 on the season mark the sixth-best single-season effort ... Gabe Snider returned to the rotation and played 14 minutes after missing 11 games with an injury ... UIC took a 27-26 lead in the all-time series with the win ... The Flames have won four of the last five meetings with the Raiders ... Thursday's game was the fourth game in a five-game homestand, and a stretch of seven of eight at the UIC Pavilion.
