The few, the proud

Flames pull off OT road win in battle of attrition

By Mike Pankow

January 15, 2017

Mike Pankow/Whoosh! file photo UIC redshirt freshman Dominique Matthews scored a career-high 21 points Saturday night as the Flames defeated Youngstown State.

UIC barely had enough healthy bodies by the end of Saturday night’s game at Youngstown State.

However, the Flames won their battle with attrition and the Penguins, pulling off a 92-89 overtime victory at the Beeghly Center in Youngstown, Ohio.

Redshirt freshman Dominique Matthews scored a career-high 21 points, freshman guard Tarkus Ferguson contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds and junior forward Kyle Guice hit two clutch 3-pointers in overtime to lead the Flames (10-8, 3-2 Horizon), who won three straight true road games for the first time since the end of the 2008-09 season.

Freshman guard Marcus Ottey scored 14 points, freshman forward K.J. Santos matched a career-high with 14 points while Guice finished with 12 points on four 3-pointers as UIC shot 45.5 percent from the field, including making 4 of 6 shots in overtime.

The Flames also survived a deluge from Cameron Morse, who scored 40 points on 15-for-35 shooting, including six 3-pointers, for the Penguins (8-11, 2-4).

Already without Dikembe Dixson and Lance Whitaker due to prior injuries, UIC had two players foul out and another get injured during the physical, frenetic contest.

UIC played nearly the final 10 minutes without junior center Tai Odiase, who fouled out with 4:22 left in regulation. Santos fouled out in the first minute of overtime while junior reserve big man Clint Robinson suffered a head injury early in the second half and had to leave the game.

The Flames had plenty of heart and clutch play down the stretch and in the extra session.

Guice drilled a 3-pointer to give UIC an 80-78 lead with 3:40 left. After the Penguins’ Devin Haygood hit a jumper, Ferguson knocked down a 14-foot jumper as the Flames took an 82-80 advantage with 2:52 showing.

Morse missed a jumper, then Guice drained another 3-pointer from the corner for a five-point lead with 1:53 left.

Mike Pankow/Whoosh! file photo Kyle Guice made four 3-pointers for UIC on Saturday night.

After another Morse miss, the Flames answered again with a short follow jumper by Matthews for an 87-80 advantage with 1:06 remaining. UIC made 5 of 9 free throws in the final minute to close the door.

The Flames endured a slow start for the second straight game, shooting just 34.3 percent in the first half, but eventually they worked to gain a 30-27 at the half after a 3-pointer by Matthews and a jumper by Robinson late in the period.

Morse knocked down a 3-pointer with 5:04 left in regulation to give YSU a 68-64 lead. Matthews answered on the flowing possession with a 3-pointer. Santos converted a three-point play as UIC moved ahead 70-69 with 4:04 left.

Matthews and Guice each drilled 3-pointers in the next two minutes as the Flames opened a 76-71 lead with 2:05 to play.

The Penguins rallied to tie the game at 76-76 when Brett Frantz scored with 28 seconds left. UIC had a chance to close it out in regulation, but the Flames couldn’t get a shot off in the final seconds.

FLAMES FLICKERS: Whitaker did not travel with the team for the weekend games in Ohio, because of an upper-body injury he suffered early in the game against Oakland. … When Robinson crashed to the floor and was injured following some contact after missing a pair of close-in shots with 15:25 left in regulation, UIC coach Steve McClain was visibly upset with the Penguins’ bench and the officials had to restrain him during the subsequent media timeout. Robinson was taken the locker room and did not return. … UIC’s last three-game true road winning streak came at the end of the 2008-09 season as the Flames defeated Valparaiso and Loyola to close out the regular season and Youngstown State in the opening round of the Horizon League tournament at Beeghly. … UIC’s bench scored a season-high 51 points, marking the 10th time this season the reserves have notched at least 30 points. … The Flames match a season-high with 11 3-pointers, especially impressive after they went just 3-for-18 in the first half. … UIC edged YSU on the boards, 49-47, and committed just 12 turnovers. … The Flames had lost six of their previous meetings at Beeghly. … Three of the last five matchups at Beeghly have gone to overtime with two of those won by UIC. The Flames won 88-83 in triple OT in 2013 behind Gary Talton’s 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. YSU won 92-91 last year in double overtime with a putback at the buzzer to offset Dixson’s 40 points.