Chicago upsets DePaul

[December 15, 2016]  The Sports Xchange

Illinois-Chicago upsets DePaul

Junior forward Kyle Guice's 3-pointer with 55 seconds left snapped the game's 14th and final tie and sparked Illinois-Chicago to an 80-75 upset of DePaul on Wednesday night at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Chicago.

The Flames, who made the 4.3-mile bus ride to resume this Chicago rivalry on DePaul's campus, reeled off a 10-0 run midway through the second half to get back into the game and set the stage for a riveting finish.

Guice (14 points) paced four Flames in double figures. Freshman guard Tarkus Ferguson and junior center Tai Odiase notched 12 points apiece and freshman guard Marcus Ottey came off the bench to add 11 points.

Sophomore guard Eli Cain poured in a career-high 27 points and senior guard Billy Garrett Jr. added a career high-tying 26 points for DePaul (6-3), which missed two shots and committed a turnover on its final possession while searching for the tying basket.

UIC earned its first win over DePaul since 2007 despite getting only six minutes from sophomore forward Dikembe Dixson, the team's leading scorer (22.2 points per game) and rebounder (6.7). Dixson left with an injury after making his only basket on a layup at the 13:33 mark of the first half.

The Flames took their first lead of the second half with 6:59 to play on Ottey's fast-break layup while getting fouled. Ottey's 3-point play wrapped up a 10-0 run that gave the Flames a 61-59 edge.

The rivals traded the lead eight times over the final seven minutes, but DePaul missed seven of its last nine shots down the stretch. The Blue Demons' best chance to tie came trailing 77-75 with 23 seconds left. Garrett drove the lane and drew contact, but didn't get a call as his layup rolled off the rim.

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