DETROIT -- UIC came from behind to knock off the Detroit Mercy Titans Saturday afternoon to wrap up the regular season with an 80-71 victory at Calihan Hall. The Flames outscored the Titans, 41-29, in the second half to complete the comeback that secured the fourth road win in Horizon League play.
 
Tarkus Ferguson led the Flames (16-15, 10-8 Horizon League) with his seventh double-double of the season behind a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. The junior added five assists and he tied the UIC single-season record for most 3-point field goals in a season (94). Jordan Blount registered his second double-double of the year, both against Detroit Mercy (11-19, 8-10 Horizon League) with 14 points and a game-high 11 boards.

The Flames secured the fifth seed in the upcoming Little Caesar's Horizon League Championship. UIC will travel to Ashwaubenon, Wis., where it will play No. 4 Green Bay on Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m. CT.

First-Half Headlines

• UIC CONTROLS EARLY TEMPO: The Flames raced out to a 17-10 lead with 13:20 left in the first half when Godwin Boahen stepped into a 3-pointer off a pass from Tarkus Ferguson. Boahen scored eight of UIC's first 17 points Saturday.
• TITANS TAKE THE LEAD: Detroit Mercy scored 10 unanswered points after Boahen's triple to surge in front, 20-17. Freshman Antoine Davis tallied seven of Detroit Mercy's 10 points during the run with four from the free throw line and a 3-pointer that he banked in off the glass.
• ANOTHER PUSH: The Flames would regain the lead at 31-30 when Ferguson connected on one of his three first-half 3-pointers. Thirty seconds later UIC turned it over, however, and the Titans regained the lead on a layup from Lamar Hamrick. Ferguson made yet another triple to regain the lead at 34-33, but the Titans outscored UIC 9-5 over the final 2:44 to take a 42-39 lead into the locker room.

Second-Half Headlines

• COMEBACK IGNITED: The Flames trailed 50-46 in the early in the second half when Blount scored a tough bucket inside to spark a 9-2 run that put UIC in the driver's seat for good. Marcus Ottey pulled in a long rebound and cruised in for a dunk that evened the score at 50-50. It was tied still with 14:13 to go in the period when Ferguson drilled another long 3-pointer that put the Flames ahead, 55-52. The visitors would never trail again Saturday.
• FERGUSON'S FINE SEQUENCE: With just under six minutes left in the contest, Ferguson put together a highlight-reel sequence. The guard blocked Davis' 3-point attempt, corralled the rebound and rushed down the floor for a dunk that put his team ahead, 70-58.
• FINISHING AT THE LINE: Detroit Mercy drew to within seven points on four occasions in the final 3:40. From that point forward, UIC converted eight of nine free-throw attempts to seal an 80-71 victory.

Highlights


Notable

• Tarkus Ferguson posted his seventh double-double of the year with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Jordan Blount tallied his second with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Both of Blount's double-doubles this season came against Detroit Mercy.
• Ferguson matched Josh Mayo's single-season record for 3-point field goals made. His fourth of the game and 94^th of the season came at 14:13 left in the contest and it gave UIC the lead for good. Mayo made 94 triples in 2007-08.
• Five of Blount's 11 rebounds came on the offensive end to match a season high. He also had five offensive boards when the Flames and Titans met in Chicago on Jan. 24.
• UIC had two players record a double-double in the same game for the first time since Jan. 8, 2017. Ferguson had 15 points and 10 rebounds that day against Oakland, while Tai Odiase added 10 points and 13 boards.
• The Flames outrebounded the Titans, 42-34. UIC moved to 9-4 on the year when outrebounding the opposition. Seven Flames had at least three boards apiece Saturday.
• The UIC defense held the Titans to a mark of 37.7 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from beyond the 3-point line. The Flames held opponents below 40 percent from the floor eight times in 18 conference games.
• The Flames have won six consecutive games against Detroit Mercy, the longest streak since the two teams first met in 1995.
• UIC has won at least 10 games in conference play for the second consecutive season under head coach Steve McClain. It is the seventh time the Flames have hit that mark since joining the MCC (Horizon League) in 1994-95.
• The Flames won for only the second time this season when trailing at the break (2-11). UIC was down by three points after 20 minutes Saturday. It was the first time erasing a halftime deficit since Nov. 15 against William & Mary.

Up Next

• The Flames have secured the fifth seed in the upcoming Little Caesar's Horizon League Championship.
• UIC will travel to play No. 4 Green Bay in a quarterfinal game at the Resch Center on Tuesday, March 5.
• Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
• UIC and Green Bay tied for fourth place in the conference standings, but the Phoenix won both regular-season meetings to secure the home-court advantage.