Feb. 27, 2016
MILWAUKEE -- UIC will put a bow on the 2015-16 regular season Sunday when the Flames visit Milwaukee for a conference clash against the UWM Panthers at the downtown UWM Panther Arena at 2 p.m.
The regular season finale will be televised on the American Sports Network, and locally it can be seen on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. ESPN3 will also stream the proceedings, while ESPN1000 Chicago and ESPNChicago.com will provide the hometown call.
Heading into the final Horizon League contest, the Flames know that they will be either the ninth or 10th seed in next weekend's #MotorCityMadness Tournament in Detroit. If Cleveland State is defeated by Wright State Saturday, and UIC knocks off Milwaukee Sunday, then the Flames will have the ninth seed and a first-round matchup against No. 4 Green Bay at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, March 5. If the Vikings topple the Raiders and Milwaukee bests UIC, then CSU will garner the ninth seed and the Flames will square off against No. 3 Wright State next Saturday at 4 p.m.
SURGING SOPHOMORES
On a team loaded with young talent, UIC's two sophomores - Tai Odiase and Lance Whitaker - have made huge strides in their respective second seasons. Odiase averaged 4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 1.7 bpg in his inaugural season, but he's worked to elevate those metrics to 9.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 3.3 bpg this year. He currently leads the NCAA in total blocks (92) and blocks per game (3.3). Whitaker netted averages of 2.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg and 1.1 apg in his first full season (2014-15). The Bartlett, Ill., native currently averages 5.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 3.4 apg, while ranking fourth in the Horizon League in assist/turnover ratio (2.5). The pair has played in every game this season under first-year head coach Steve McClain, with 52 combined starts.
HORIZON LEAGUE'S FINEST FRESHMAN
UIC newcomer Dikembe Dixson has been one of the most productive players in the Horizon League. The Freeport, Ill., native ranks third overall in scoring with 19.5 ppg and seventh in rebounding with 7.3 rpg. The eight-time #HLMBB Freshman of the Week joins Valparaiso's Alec Peters and Milwaukee's Matt Tiby as the only players to rank in the conference's top seven in both categories. In conference clashes only, Dixson ranks second in the Horizon League with 22.9 ppg and first with 39.7 mpg. Dixson won his eighth #HLMBB Freshman honor Monday, passing Oakland's Kay Felder (2013-14) for most all-time.
NOT IN TAI'S HOUSE
UIC sophomore Tai Odiase leads not only the Horizon League, but the entire NCAA in total block and blocks per game through Feb. 26. The 6-foot-9 center has registered 92 total blocks on the season for an average of 3.3 per game. His 92 blocks this year mark the second-best single-season total in program history. He owns 140 rejections in 56 career games, placing him fifth among Flames all-time. Odiase has blocked at least three shots in six consecutive games, averaging 6.2 blocks per game during that span. On Feb. 13, he sent back a career-high nine field-goal attempts against Northern Kentucky.
WINDEX MEN
UIC exhibited its top effort of the season on the glass at Youngstown State on Feb. 16. The Flames corralled a season-high 63 rebounds, eight more than any other Horizon League team has notched in a game this season. That number ties UIC for seventh nationally in a game this season; it's the most since Jan. 18, and tied for the most in any conference game across the NCAA this season (Purdue (63) at Rutgers, B1G, 1/18/16). Dikembe Dixson (17) and Gabe Snider (8) posted career highs on the boards at YSU, while Tai Odiase (12) and Najeal Young (10) were also in double figures against the Penguins. UIC ranks second in the Horizon League and 14th in the NCAA with 41.3 rebounds per game.
MINUTE MAN
Freshman Dikembe Dixson leads UIC, and ranks second in the Horizon League, in playing time this season with 1,023 minutes, or 36.5 minutes per game. He played a career-high 50 minutes in a double-overtime game at YSU on Feb. 16, and he leads all players in conference games with 39.7 mpg. Dixson has played 39 minutes-or-more 11 times, and 40-or-more seven times, including in six of the last 11 games. He has not played fewer than 37 minutes in 17 career Horizon League games.
For more notes and information about Sunday's game, please click the Game Notes PDF above.
