Feb. 15, 2016
CHICAGO -- For the first time in program history UIC has garnered both the Horizon League Player and Freshman of the Week honors in the same period, the conference announced Monday (Feb. 16). Sophomore Tai Odiase was named Co-Player of the Week for the first time in his career, while newcomer Dikembe Dixson earned his league-leading seventh Freshman of the Week nod.
The pair was paramount in helping the Flames win back-to-back games for the first time this season last week with victories against Wright State and Northern Kentucky. Odiase averaged 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and an eye-popping 8.0 blocks per game against the Raiders and Norse. The Glenwood, Ill., native became only the third player in UIC history to block nine shots in a single game, when he rejected as many offerings against NKU on Saturday. The sophomore joined all-time-great Flames Sherrell Ford and Scott VanderMeer in that elite group.
Odiase was key to the offensive attack in both games, as well. Against Wright State on Thursday, he scored 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor. That marked the second-best point production of his career (23 vs. Roosevelt, 11/24/15). He was also one of four Flames in double figures Saturday against the Norse, when he scored 12 points and fell two rebounds and a block shy of his first career triple-double. Odiase averaged seven rebounds in the two games, including 4.0 per game on the offensive end.
Odiase, who shares the honor with Kay Felder of Oakland this week, is the first Horizon League Player of the Week from UIC since Jay Harris captured the award on Dec. 15, 2014. Cedrick Banks and Mark Miller are the school's all-time leaders with five Horizon League Player of the Week honors apiece.
Dixson averaged nearly a double-double behind 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in the team's two recent triumphs. On Thursday against Wright State, Dixson led all players with 26 points and 12 boards to register the fifth double-double of his young career. He also stuffed the stat sheet that night with four assists, two blocks and a steal while playing all 40 minutes for the sixth time this season.
After a relatively quiet first half against Northern Kentucky on Saturday, Dixson cranked it up on the offensive end in the second stanza. He scored 17 points in the final 20 minutes to help the Flames past the Norse, 79-77. He finished the game with 21 points, marking the 11th time in 24 collegiate contests that he has reached 20 points or more.
With the award coming his way for the seventh time, Dixson matches Felder for the most Horizon League Freshman of the Week awards in one season. The Freeport, Ill., native has been named the most valuable newcomer in three of the last four weeks. The one time he did not win, on Feb. 8, the award went to another UIC player, Michael Kolawole. This signifies the first time ever that one Horizon League program has collected the Freshman of the Week recognition in four consecutive weeks.
Odiase, Dixson and the Flames will hit the road for the first time since Jan. 24 on Tuesday night, when they travel to Youngstown State for a showdown against the Penguins. YSU led by as many as 24 points in the first meeting, but UIC clawed its way back and it was a one-possession game in the final minute. Youngstown State escaped with a 82-78 victory on Jan. 28.
