CHICAGO -- Turnovers hampered the Flames for the third consecutive game Saturday and UIC dropped a crosstown clash to the Loyola Ramblers at Gentile Arena, 85-61.
 
UIC (2-5) was troubled by 19 turnovers, including 13 in the first half. Meanwhile Loyola (8-1) shot 54.8 percent from the floor and 57.1 percent from beyond the arc on the day to seal the victory.

Marcus Ottey scored 16 points off the bench to lead UIC and Aundre Jackson tallied a game-high 23 points to lead the Ramblers. Jackson shot an eye-popping 91 percent (10-of-11) from the field with two 3-pointers in just 21 minutes of action.

Game Headlines

• Start Stunted by Turnovers : UIC shot the ball well in the early going, connecting at a clip of 57 percent. However the Flames turned it over six times over the first 7:20 and Loyola held a 16-11 lead. Eight of the 16 Rambler points came off UIC turnovers during that span.
• Lengthy Loyola Run: The Ramblers executed 14 unanswered points in a span of just over three minutes to gain a 27-11 lead. The run was finally stunted when Tai Odiase flipped in a hook shot off the glass with 9:11 remaining in the opening half. Loyola tallied nine more points in a row to push the lead to 36-13 with 6:36 left.
• Halftime Hole: The Flames trailed at the half, 52-24. UIC committed a total of 13 turnovers over the first 20 minutes which led to 16 points for the Ramblers. To make it tougher, Loyola couldn't miss, shooting 62.5 percent (20-of-32) in the period and 80 percent (8-of-10) from 3-point range.
• Strong Second Half Surge: UIC outscored the Ramblers in the second half, 37-33. The Flames valued possessions with only six turnovers and shot at an improved clip of 50 percent (13-of-26). UIC held the Ramblers without a 3-pointer over the final 20 minutes. Ottey scored 14 of his team-high 16 points in the final period of play.

Notables

• Marcus Ottey has scored in double figures five times in seven games for UIC. He poured in a team-best 16 points and shot 67 percent (6-of-9) from the floor for the Flames.
• Dominique Matthews tallied 14 points for the second straight game, this time burying three 3-pointers against the Ramblers. One game after being held to only two points, Dikembe Dixson was back in double figures with 14, as well.
• The sophomore trio of Ottey, Dixson and Matthews shot 59 percent (17-of-29) on the day for UIC.
• UIC used its fourth different starting lineup in seven games this season. Tai Odiase, Dixson and Jordan Blount have opened each game for the Flames and Saturday the trio was joined by Matthews and Godwin Boahen. Matthews has started five times, while Boahen got the nod for the second time.
• Odiase blocked a season-high five shots Saturday. It was the most in a game for the senior since he sent back five in a Horizon League Championship victory over Green Bay on March 5, 2017.
• Odiase now owns 266 career blocks. Scott VanderMeer is the program's all-time leader in that category with 273.
• As a team, the Ramblers did not block any UIC shots in the contest.
• Loyola controlled the paint, outscoring the Flames 50-30 inside Saturday.
• The Flames have lost seven consecutive true road games dating back to Feb. 19, 2017 at Oakland.
• Earlier Saturday, McClain announced that sophomore Tarkus Ferguson is out indefinitely with an injury. The second-year standout started the first 42 games of his collegiate career prior to Saturday's tilt at Loyola.

Postgame Reaction



Up Next

• The Flames return to the UIC Pavilion on Wednesday, Dec. 6 to host the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers at 7 p.m. CT.
• UIC also welcomes another crosstown foe, DePaul, on Dec. 9 and Ivy League member Dartmouth on Dec. 15 during the three-game homestand.