FAIRBORN, Ohio -- UIC freshman Travell Washington buried a 3-pointer as time expired in overtime to help the Flames topple the Wright State Raiders, 75-72.

Playing short-handed for much of the second half, the Flames (7-7, 1-0 Horizon League) tied the game at 59-59 when Tarkus Ferguson hit a mid-range jumper with just under a minute to go. The Raiders got the final look in regulation with 1.7 seconds to go, but Michael Diggins rejected Mark Hughes' shot to put an extra five minutes on the clock.

In the extra session, UIC took a three-point lead when Marcus Ottey made a pair of free throws with 17.2 seconds left. After a timeout, WSU's Cole Gentry knocked down a long 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie the score at 72-72. The Raiders called timeout with 7.5 seconds to go. Ferguson took the ball and moved meticulously up the floor. As the defense collapsed he found Washington in the right corner and the newcomer put the ball in the hoop as the horn sounded to send the visitors into a jubilant celebration.

Washington scored a career-high 13 points and four 3-pointers for UIC. Ferguson notched his sixth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. He also had a game-high six assists, including the game winner to Washington.

Game-Winning Shot



First-Half Headlines

• EARLY SECOND CHANCES: Wright State picked up three offensive rebounds, including two on one possession, that helped the Raiders net five second-chance points early. Those tallies helped the home team open an early 10-4 lead at the first timeout of the night with 4:47 gone by.
• FLAMES FIRE BACK: A 7-0 run that featured 3-pointers from Godwin Boahen and Washington helped the Flames erase their largest deficit to that point and tie the score at 15 points apiece with 10:48 to go in the half.
• TRAVELL'S TRIPLES: Washington showed up early in his first Horizon League game. The San Bernardino, Calif., native hit a pair of big 3-pointers in the first half. The first capped a 7-0 run and helped the Flames tie the score at 15 points apiece with 10:48 to go in the half. The second, a triple from the right corner, put the visitors back in front, 20-17, with 6:48 to go.
• HALF-ENDING RUN: Trailing 24-20 with 2:47 to go, UIC closed the half with seven unanswered points. Marcus Ottey made a driving layup, Tarkus Ferguson canned a deep 3-pointer and Godwin Boahen added a bucket inside to help the Flames take a 27-24 lead to the locker room.
• LESS IS MORE: UIC held a lead despite taking 12 fewer shots than the Raiders in the first half. WSU launched it 38 times, but made only nine (23.7 percent). That was the lowest field goal percentage in half for a UIC opponent this season.

Second-Half Headlines

• SKIRMISH LEAVES UIC SHORTHANDED: UIC lost three players from the game with 11:23 remaining. WSU's Loudon Love fouled Jordan Blount and the two were entangled as the horn sounded for a media timeout. Officials deemed that three Flames – Boahen, Ralph Bissainthe and Jacob Wiley -  left the bench area and disqualified them from the game. That left the Flames with seven available players from the rest of the night.
• LOTS OF LEAD CHANGES: The Flames held a four-point lead when the dustup occurred, but WSU scored five unanswered to regain the lead with 9:32 to go. From that point on to the end of regulation, there were four more lead changes.
• SENSATIONAL SURGE: The Raiders led by five points with 2:28 to go before Ferguson and Ottey scored five straight to knot the score with 1:46 remaining. Ferguson's mid-range jumper with 54 seconds left tied the game at 59 and it proved to be the final field goal of regulation. Diggins blocked Hughes as time expired to send the game into overtime.

Overtime Headlines

• MORE OF THE SAME: Diggins won the tip and knocked down a 3-pointer to put UIC in front, but Hughes answered for the Raiders on the next possession. UIC took a 3-point lead, 70-67, with 45 seconds left on a Ferguson 3-pointer. The Raiders would tie the game on Gentry's 3-pointer, but the Flames wouldn't trail.
• VICTORY FORMATION: UIC had possession with 7.5 seconds to go in a tie game. Ferguson dribbled just to the right of the top of the key and he found Washington camped in the right corner. He hoisted his sixth 3-pointer of the night and it found the bottom of the next to send the visitors on their way with a 75-72 triumph.

Highlights



Postgame Reaction



Notable

• The Flames won on a buzzer-beater for the first time since Feb. 10, 2011 against Green Bay. Robo Kreps hit the game-winner that day against the Phoenix, also in overtime.
• UIC is 2-1 in overtime this season and 5-5 in overtime games under head coach Steve McClain.
• UIC improved to 1-0 in Horizon League play for the first time in four seasons under McClain.
• The Flames have won eight consecutive road games against conference opponents dating back to Jan. 4, 2018 at IUPUI. Friday's victory was the first away from Credit Union 1 Arena this season.
• Tarkus Ferguson turned in his sixth double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. It was the third with points and rebounds and his second of that variety in as many games.
• Ferguson played a career-high 44 minutes. It was the second time this season that he tallied at least 43.
• Travell Washington scored a career-high 13 points, while playing a career-high 22 minutes.
• The Flames made 13 3-pointers, marking the fourth time this season with at least as many. Washington and Ferguson nailed four apiece, while Marcus Ottey made a season-high three.
• Ottey led UIC with a season-high 23 points. It was the sixth time he led the Flames in the scoring column this year and the fourth time he had at least 20 points. He also added a season-high eight rebounds.
• Wright State shot 32.1 percent for the game, the lowest mark for any UIC opponent this season. The Raiders took 78 shots, the most attempts for any UIC foe and 19 more than the Flames.

Up Next

• UIC will continue Horizon League play on Sunday, Dec. 30 at Northern Kentucky in a game that will be carried on ESPN+.
• The Norse won the 2017-18 Horizon League regular season championship and were picked second in the 2018-19 preseason poll.
• NKU won a conference-best 10 games during non-conference play.