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UIC Athletics

thevalley
Tarkus Ferguson
Rudi Ayasse
67
Northern Ky. M-505
69
Winner UIC M-302
Northern Ky. M-505
67
Final
69
UIC M-302
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Northern Ky. M-505 25 42 67
UIC M-302 33 36 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

@UICFlamesMBB Downs First-Place NKU, 69-67

Jamie Ahale's 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining wins it for UIC

CHICAGO – UIC's Jamie Ahale made a 3-pointer from the right corner with 2.5 seconds remaining to help the Flames knock off first-place Sunday afternoon Northern Kentucky, 69-67.
 
After a series of reviews and timeouts, UIC (12-12, 6-5 Horizon League) thwarted a 3-point attempt from NKU (18-6, 8-3 Horizon League) as time expired to ascend to victory. Tyler Sharpe got a decent look for the Norse, but his heave lodged between the rim and the backboard, ending the game.
 
Tarkus Ferguson knocked on the door of what could have been his second triple-double of the season with a 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, all UIC team highs. Early in the second half, the junior corralled the 500th rebound of his career. He made four of the squad's seven 3-pointers, as well. Michael Diggins matched a career high with 16 points off the bench for the Flames, making seven of his 10 field-goal attempts.

First-Half Headlines
  • EARLY SEPARATION: UIC put together a 7-0 run over the span 1:37 early in the first half to take a 13-4 lead. After Godwin Boahen converted a pull-up jumper from the right side, Northern Kentucky used a timeout less than seven minutes into the game to try to slow the surge.
  • BUILDING IT UP: With just over six minutes to go in the first period, the lead reached the 11 points for the Flames when Tarkus Ferguson canned one of three first-half 3-pointers off a feed from Marcus Ottey to make it 21-10.
  • NORSE SURGE: Northern Kentucky responded with eight unanswered points in less than two minutes to bring the deficit down to one possession, 21-18. After turnovers from both teams, Boahen was fouled and he made a pair of free throws to regain just a bit of breathing room.
  • MORE CUSHION: UIC methodically worked its lead back up to 11 points when Boahen found Michael Diggins for a reverse layup with under 40 seconds to go. Northern Kentucky made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to go into the locker room down 33-25.
Second-Half Headlines
  • STRONG SECOND-HALF START: Northern Kentucky scored the first eight points of the second half to pull back to even just two minutes into the period. Drew McDonald scored inside before Sharpe made back-to-back 3-pointers. Diggins stunted the surge with a basket inside on UIC's next possession to help the Flames stay in front, 35-33.
  • NORSE NAB THE LEAD: Northern Kentucky finally worked its back into the lead with 14:57 left in the game when McDonald picked up two more points in the paint. The advantage was short-lived, however, because UIC's Rob Howard scored off a feed from Boahen to put the Flames ahead once again, 41-40.
  • AIMING FOR SEPARATION: The score was tied at 52 points apiece with 5:45 remaining when Ferguson stepped into another triple that put the Flames in front. The shot sparked a 10-3 run over 2:26 that helped balloon the lead to seven points when Marcus Ottey netted a driving layup.
  • TAKING THE BEST SHOT: The lead remained at seven points with 2:13 to go after Ottey made two from the charity stripe. On the next possession, Northern Kentucky started a string of eight unanswered points with the help of two UIC turnovers and a pair of missed shots. With one minute remaining, McDonald's jumper gave the visitors a 67-66 lead.
  • AHOY, AHALE: UIC's regained possession when Sharpe shot an air ball with just under 20 second to go. The Flames moved the ball over the timeline and called timeout with 12.6 seconds remaining. With five seconds to go, Boahen was blocked by Jalen Tate, but the ball went out of bounds and UIC retained the ball along the baseline. Ferguson was the trigger man and after his first look was taken away, the guard found Ahale in the right corner. After getting Sharpe to blow past him, the sophomore gathered and launched a 3-pointer that tickled the twine and put the home team in front, 69-67 with 2.5 seconds to go.
  • UNANSWERED PRAYER: Sharpe would get the final look for Northern Kentucky, but his ninth 3-point attempt of the game wedged in between the rim and the backboard as time expired to send the Norse home with their third loss in Horizon League play.
 
Notable
  • UIC finished with 20 assists on 26 field goals. Five Flames had at least two helpers led by Tarkus Ferguson's game-high eight dimes.
  • Ferguson joined the 500-rebound club by collecting an offensive carom with 15:55 to go in the game. He finished with nine rebounds, including three on the offensive end to mark a season high. It was the 15th time he led the squad on the boards this season.
  • Sophomore Michael Diggins matched a career high with 16 points off the bench Sunday. Diggins was 7-of-10 from the floor and he added four rebounds, a steal and a block in the victory. He helped the UIC bench outscore NKU's, 21-8.
  • Godwin Boahen's streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer came to an end Sunday after 41 games. He was 0-of-5 from beyond the arc, but still finished with 12 points, including six from the free throw line.
  • UIC shot better than 90 percent from the free throw line for the first time this season (90.9%; 10-of-11)
  • The Flames improved to 11-3 at Credit Union 1 Arena and 5-2 at home against conference foes.
Up Next
  • The Flames begin a three-game road trip on Saturday, Feb. 9 at IUPUI. UIC and IUPUI are tied for fourth place in the Horizon League standings with 6-5 records. Both teams are one game behind Oakland and Wright State (7-4) and two games behind Northern Kentucky (8-3).
  • The Jaguars won the first matchup this season at Credit Union 1 Arena on Jan. 4, 66-64.

Highlights



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