CHICAGO --  UIC has reached the semifinals of its postseason tournament for the second consecutive season and the Flames will play at Liberty University with a slot in the 10^th CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament championship game on the line Wednesday, March 28 at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

The Flames (19-15) reached the round by defeating Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn., on Wednesday, March 21. UIC trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half before fighting back to win their eighth consecutive road game, a program record. The score was tied with just over 10 seconds to go when Godwin Boahen raced down and elevated from right of the free throw line to connect on a jumper with 1.4 seconds to go and send the Flames on to the semifinals.

Boahen scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, and at one point he made three straight 3-pointers that helped UIC go from down five to up four with 2:43 remaining. Tarkus Ferguson narrowly missed his second double-double of the tournament with a team-high 21 points and nine rebounds. He also made a career-high five 3-pointers for the Flames.

In the first-round game against Saint Francis (PA) on March, 14, UIC scored a postseason-record 84 points, winning easily by a margin of 23 points. Six Flames scored in double figures, all between 15 and 11 points, to top the Red Flash. UIC shot 54.1 percent and held a high-scoring Saint Francis team more than 18 points below its season average.

Liberty (22-14) knocked off Central Michigan, 84-71, last Saturday afternoon to advance. Also nicknamed the Flames, Liberty has played all of its CIT games at home, defeating both North Carolina A&T and CMU at the Vines Center.

Fans interested in cheering on the Flames are encouraged to attend the athletic department's official watch party at Hawkeye's Bar and Grill, 1458 W. Taylor Street, to catch all the action starting at 6:00 pm.  Several food and drink specials will be available during the game.  Free parking is also available one block south on Laflin St.

ROAD WARRIORS

• UIC has won eight consecutive road games for the first time in program history. The streak started with a comeback win at IUPUI on Jan. 4 and continued with victories at Youngstown State, Cleveland State, Milwaukee, Oakland, Detroit Mercy, Green Bay and Austin Peay.
• Three times during the streak UIC trailed at half (IUPUI, Green Bay, Austin Peay).
• The Flames last won seven straight road games between Jan. 26-March 9, 2004.
• UIC's 18-point victory at Milwaukee on Jan. 29 was the largest in a road game under McClain. The Flames also downed Youngstown State on the road by 14 points on Jan. 18.

MAGNIFICENT MARGIN

• In the 19 wins this season, the Flames have topped opponents by an average of 15.4 points per game. UIC won 12 League games by an average of 11.2 points per game.
• The 23-point margin of victory over Saint Francis on March 14 was the largest in UIC's postseason history (11 games).
• The 18-point margin of victory at Milwaukee on Jan. 29 was the largest in a true road game under game under head coach Steve McClain.
• UIC's 40-point victory over Delaware State on Nov. 16 (95-55) marked the largest margin of victory in the McClain era.

DOUBLING DOWN

• Tarkus Ferguson notched his third double-double of the season, and second of his postseason career, with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Saint Francis.
• He also had double-doubles at Detroit Mercy (2/4) and Youngstown State (1/18).
• Jordan Blount had his second consecutive double-double, and fourth of the season, against Detroit Mercy with 15 points and 10 rebounds on Feb. 19.
• The sophomore also recorded double-doubles in #HLMBB play against Green Bay (Feb. 16) and Cleveland State (Jan. 20).

NOT IN TAI'S HOUSE

• Tai Odiase owns 358 blocks, most in UIC and Horizon League history, after swatting seven in two CIT games this season.
• The Glenwood, Ill., native is the NCAA's active leader in total career blocks (358) and ranks sixth in career blocks per game (2.80).
• In UIC's first CIT game, Odiase broke a tie with Basketball Hall of Famer David Robinson (Navy; 1985-87) and passed another Hall of Famer, Dikembe Mutombo (Georgetown; 1988-91), by three blocks.
• Today he ranks tied for 38th alongside former Rutgers player Hamady N'Diaye (2007-10).
• He ranks fourth in NCAA with 3.21 blocks per game this year, and averaged 3.4 blocks per game in UIC's 18 Horizon League contests.

More notes, statistics and information can be found in the UIC Game Notes PDF linked in the blue box above.