Feb. 28, 2016 Box Score
MILWAUKEE -- UIC was outscored by 16 points in the second half as the Milwaukee Panthers turned a two-point halftime deficit into a 98-85 victory in the regular-season finale for both teams Sunday at UWM Panther Arena.
Dikembe Dixson scored 29 points for the Flames to lead all scorers and UIC senior Gabe Snider poured in a career-high 20 points, thanks in large part to six 3-point baskets, but Milwaukee had three players with at least 19 points and five in double figures as it collected its 10th conference triumph of the season.
The Flames weathered an early storm as senior J.J. Panoske scored the first 10 points of the game for UWM to help the home team build a 10-5 advantage with less than two and a half minutes gone by. UIC steadily chipped away until a long two-point try from Dixson gave the Flames a one-point lead, 18-17, at the 12:34 mark in the first half.
Milwaukee had regained a two-point edge, 22-20 before a ferocious nine-point surge by the visitors, covering just 75 seconds, gave the UIC a 29-22 lead with 7:46 to go in the first period. The teams went back and forth for the rest of the stanza until two free throws from Dixson with 2.4 seconds left in the first frame helped establish a 46-44 lead at the break.
The first half featured 11 tie scores and nine lead changes, but once the Panthers grabbed it back on a 3-pointer from Panoske at the 18:47 mark of the second half, they never surrendered it.
It was a four-point game with 9:16 remaining after Dixson split a pair at the charity stripe, but an 8-0 run by Milwaukee, featuring triples by Panoske and Matt Tiby pushed the lead to 12 points, the largest of the day to that point. Milwaukee's pressure was unrelenting and the advantage reached as much as 20 points on two occasions down the stretch. UIC closed the game on an 8-1 run, but that was not enough to claw all the way back and the Panthers posted a 13-point triumph.
UIC shot 48.4 percent from the field in the second half, and 44.1 percent on the afternoon, but Milwaukee nailed 15 of its 33 3-point attempts (45.5 percent) to help create the distance. The Flames also had a strong performance from downtown by hitting on 50 percent (9-of 18) of its 3-point tries. The Panthers also utilized 18 points off 13 UIC turnovers.
Aside from taking the crown as the game's leading scorer, Dixson corralled six rebounds, handed out a career-high five assists and swiped a career-best four steals for the Flames. Najeal Young paced UIC with eight rebounds, finishing two shy of a double-double, as he scored 12 points in his hometown.
Panoske led the Panthers with 20 points in his final game at UWM Panther Arena. Point guard Jordan Johnson added 11 points and 15 assists, the most in program history.
With the regular season now in the rear-view mirror, the Flames will turn their attention toward next weekend's Little Caesars's Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship. UIC, the 10th seed, will draw the 3rd-seeded Wright State Raiders in the opening round on Saturday, March 5 at 4 p.m. CT at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. The Flames and Raiders split their two regular-season battles, with each team winning on its home floor.
For more information about #MotorCityMadness, please CLICK HERE. To purchase tickets, please call 312-413-UIC1 (8421).
UIC Notes: UIC started the game with Dikembe Dixson, Michael Kolawole, Tai Odiase, Lance Whitaker and Najeal Young, marking the 13th time this season, and 12th 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 29 games … UIC is 3-3 when leading at the half this season … Dixson has scored 20-plus points 16 times in 29 career games … He has scored at least 20 points in seven straight games, and in 12 of the last 13 … Gabe Snider matched a career high with six 3-pointers … He made his first five before missing on his sixth attempt … UIC made its first 12 free throws, but converted only 4-of-11 the rest of the day.
