UIC easily defeated visiting Saint Francis 84-61 tonight at UIC Pavilion in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Tai Odiase also made history passing one of the greatest shot-blockers of all time. He surpassed Dikembe Mutombo on the all-time blocks list, swatting six shots.
It was UIC’s first game without leading scorer Dikembe Dixson, who exhausted his collegiate eligibility by turning pro.
The Flames did just fine sans Dixson. Godwin Boahen replaced Dixson in the starting lineup and handed out a season-high nine assists. Six players scored in double-figures, yet only one player attempted double-digit field goal attempts. Clint Robinson led UIC with a career-high 15 points off the bench. Tarkus Ferguson added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
UIC’s defense severely limited the offensive production from Saint Francis. The Red Flash only shot 32.3% as a team. The top scorer’s for Saint Francis, Keith Braxton and Jamaal King, came into the game scoring 17.4 points per game and 18.3 points per game. While they both combined to score 26 points, the duo shot 9-of-31 from the field. By neutralizing Braxton and King, UIC cut off the head of the snake.
Key Sequence
UIC went on a 9-0 early in the second half which allowed the Flames to seize control with a healthy lead. Ottey and Blount dunked consecutively to give UIC a 49-33 lead with 15:09 minutes left in the game.
What It Means
The Flames played extremely well on both sides of the ball without their leading scorer. That bodes well going forward in this tournament and next year.
What’s Next
UIC moves on to the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, the opponent is yet to be determined.
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