YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The UIC men's basketball team outscored Youngstown State 15-8 in overtime to post a 90-83 road victory Thursday (Jan. 30) evening to open the second half of Horizon League play.
 
The Flames closed out regulation on a 14-5 run to force the extra period of play. Marcus Ottey's jumper with 53 seconds remaining tied things up at 72-all, as the senior scored 13 of his team high 22 points in the second half. After the Penguins connected on a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left, Godwin Boahen sent the game into overtime with a triple of his own with 27 seconds left.
 
In the extra period, UIC scored the first four points and never looked back en route to its fourth victory in the last five games. The Flames took care of business at the free throw down the stretch, going 8-for-9 from the charity stripe in the five-minute overtime period.
 
Ottey was one of five Flames in double figures and one of two with 20+ points, as Braelen Bridges added 20 points. Michael Diggins scored 18, Boahen contributed 13 and Tarkus Ferguson came a rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
UIC closes out its season-long five-game roadtrip Saturday, Feb. 1 at Cleveland State.
 
First Half Highlights

• UIC used a pair of runs at the start and end of the half to keep the Flames within striking distance of Youngstown State. After the Penguins opened by scoring the game's first nine points, the Flames countered with seven unanswered points. Bridges lifted the lid off the rim with a jumper, followed by five unanswered from Ottey.
• With 4:54 remaining in the half, a Diggins dunk kick-started an 8-0 run to tie things up at 34-all with 1:54 to play. Bridges scored four consecutive points, including a dunk, before Jacob Wiley capped the run with layup.
• The first half was a strong showing offensively by both teams, as UIC and Youngstown State each shot over 50% from the field. Additionally, UIC shot an even 50% from beyond the arc. Diggins had a nearly perfect half, finishing 5-of-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from 3-point range.

 
Second Half Highlights

• After not leading the entire first half, UIC claimed its first lead with 10:06 to play in the second frame after back-to-back buckets by Ferguson and Bridges gave the visitors a 57-56 lead.
• The Penguins countered with a 14-4 run to take a nine-point lead at 70-61 with 3:43 to play. Undeterred, Ottey hit three-straight from the free throw line to trim the deficit to six. Ferguson followed with a layup and the Ottey connected on two more free throws to make it a two-points game with 2:09 left.
• Boahen's triple forced the game into overtime where the Flames jumped out by scoring the first four points on a Diggins free throw and a 3-point play by Bridges. Ferguson and Ottey combined to go 6-for-6 from the line in the final 34 seconds to close out the victory.

 
News and Notes

• Thursday marked the first overtime game for the Flames since a 75-72 overtime victory against Wright State on Dec. 28, 2018.
• Ottey and Bridges scored over 20 points in the game, marking the second time this season, and first since Jamie Ahale and Ferguson against San Diego, that two players scored 20+ points in a game.
• UIC scored 90 or more points for the first time since a 94-75 win over Illinois State on Dec. 5, 2018.
• The Flames outrebounded the Penguins 44-39 Thursday, the sixth consecutive game in which UIC has more rebounds than its opponent. UIC improved to 8-3 when winning the rebounding battle.
• Ferguson extended his streak of games with at least one block to 11 consecutive games.