FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Hitting the road for the first time in conference play, the UIC men's basketball team battled back to force overtime against Purdue Fort Wayne Friday (Jan. 8) evening before ultimately falling, 96-89, to the Mastodons.

Teyvion Kirk, who recorded the third triple-double in program history last time out, followed with a career-high 31 points. He becomes the UIC player since Dikembe Dixson on Nov. 26, 2016 to score 30 or more points in a game. Michael Diggins added the second double-double of his career and first this season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jamie Ahale and Rob Howard each added 15 for the shorthanded Flames.

Trailing by 11 with 2:57 left, UIC stormed back to force overtime. Howard, Kirk and Ahale hit back-to-back-to-back triples to cut the deficit to two with 51 seconds remaining. Kirk then stole the inbounds pass in the closing seconds, with Diggins crashing the offense glass to draw a foul. The senior knocked down a pair with four seconds left to push the Flames to overtime for the first time this season at 81-all.

Tied at 87 with 3:05 remaining, the 'Dons scored eight unanswered points to pull away and secure the victory. Purdue Fort Wayne was paced by Jarred Godfrey, who scored a career-high 41 points.

The Flames will look to split the two-game series in Saturday's finale, with tipoff slated for 4 p.m. on ESPN3.

How It Happened – First Half

• Playing from behind from the opening tip, UIC grabbed its first lead of the game with 12:10 remaining in the opening half after Jacob Wiley's 3-point play capped a 7-0 UIC run to give the visitors a 16-15 lead.
• The Flames excelled at protecting the rim, as five different players recorded a block in the opening half. Howard, Ahale, Wiley, Deon Ejim and Brian Taylor all got in on the block party.
• Kirk and Diggins led the way in the opening frame, accounting for 24 of UIC's 36 points. Kirk had a team-high 14 points while Diggins added 10.

How It Happened – Second Half

• Held scoreless in the first half, Ahale hit back-to-back threes to pull the Flames within two with 17:50 to play at 47-45. Another Ahale triple evened the score at 52-all before a pair of Diggins free throws gave the Flames a two-point lead.
• The lead grew to four on the next possession as Kirk got behind the defense for a breakaway dunk, giving the junior 21 points in the game.
• The 'Dons came back and regaining the lead, building it to as many as 11 in the second half before UIC mounted its late comeback.
• Three consecutive 3-pointers by UIC made it a two-point game with 51 seconds remaining. The Mastodons were inbounding the ball with eight seconds left with Kirk stole in ensuing pass. Howard's jumper was off the mark but Diggins crashed the offensive glass, drawing the foul. Diggins hit both free throws with four seconds left, and Purdue Fort Wayne's buzzer-beater just missed, sending the game to overtime.

How It Happened – Overtime

• After Purdue Fort Wayne scored the first four points, a pair of 3-pointers by Howard and Ahale helped get the score back to level at 87-all with 3:05 remaining.
• Eight unanswered points from the 'Dons put the game out of reach, sealing Friday's contest.

New and Notes

• Kirk's career-high 31 points is UIC's first 30-point game since Dikembe Dixson scored 31 on Nov. 26, 2016 against Northern Illinois.
• Diggins notched his second double-double of his career and first this season with his 16 points and 11 rebounds.
• The 89 points and 53.6% field goal percentage by UIC are both season highs.