Wright IV settles matters in Colorado's 84-72 win over UIC
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) McKinley Wright IV tossed in 21 points, scoring 10 straight for Colorado down the stretch, to help close out the Buffaloes' 84-72 victory over Illinois-Chicago on Saturday night.
Wright added nine assists, six rebounds and three steals, but it was the sophomore's performance down the stretch that earned the victory for the Buffaloes (7-1).
''He's just a winner, he makes winning plays,'' Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said. ''He's terrific. I can't say enough good things about him.''
Fellow sophomore Tyler Bey totaled 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
''We forget that these guys are sophomores because we expect so much out of them,'' Boyle said.
The Flames (4-6) hung around most of the game, partly due to 42 points in the paint. Marcus Ottey led UIC with a season-high 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the floor. The junior guard accounted for 15 of the Flames' 29 first-half points. Jordan Blount chipped in with 20 points and Godwin Boahen scored 15. The trio accounted for 79 percent of the Flames' offense.
''I think most nights if you have three to four guys in double figures you're about where you should be in a high-level game,'' Illinois-Chicago head coach Steve McClain said.
Colorado never trailed in a game that was tied just once after the tipoff. But the Buffaloes didn't pull away until UIC ran into foul trouble late in the game. Boahen and Jacob Wiley fouled out for the Flames, while Jordan Blount, Ottey and Rob Howard Jr. finished the game with four fouls. UIC was whistled for 28 fouls and that led to the Buffaloes sinking 25 of 33 foul shots. UIC was 6 of 10 at the free-throw line.
The Buffaloes forced 24 turnovers and held Illinois-Chicago's leading scorer Tarkus Ferguson without a point until there was three minutes remaining in the game. The junior guard came in averaging 17.1 points per game. The Flames shot 58 percent from the floor for the game. It was the best shooting percentage by a Colorado opponent this season.
''It seemed like they couldn't miss,'' Wright said. ''But we kind of expected it, we knew how good they were and how hard they play.''
HE SAID IT
''I kind of wanted to make a statement. Not just for me but the rest of the guys as well. Let everyone know that we should be here," UIC's Blount said. ''Obviously we wanted to win and we're quite upset, but I think we changed a few people's minds about who we are and the identity that we're trying to go forward with.''
INJURIES
Colorado's backup freshman point guard Daylen Kountz did not play in the second half. Kountz twisted his ankle in practice earlier this week and is expected to play in the Buffaloes' next game
BIG PICTURE
Colorado: The Buffaloes have won five straight games and join Arizona State as the only 7-1 teams from the Pac-12.
Illinois-Chicago: The Flames remain winless on the road this season. Last season UIC had a nine-game win streak on the road.
UP NEXT
Colorado: The Buffs head to New Mexico to take on the Lobos on Tuesday in the first game of a six-game road trip to end their nonconference slate and begin their Pac-12 play.
Illinois-Chicago: The Flames return to Chicago for a matchup at intracity rival DePaul on Friday.
Copyright 2018 by AP. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of AP is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
0.0 | Â | End of period | Â | |
16:31 | Â | Shooting foul on Tarkus Ferguson | Â | |
16:10 | Â | Shooting foul on Rob Howard Jr. | Â | |
15:13 | Â | Lost ball turnover on Lucas Siewert, stolen by Rob Howard Jr. | Â | |
14:36 | Â | Shooting foul on Rob Howard Jr. | Â | |
14:23 | Â | Offensive foul on Jacob Wiley | Â | |
13:16 | Â | Personal foul on Tyler Bey | Â | |
12:33 | Â | Shooting foul on Jacob Wiley | Â | |
11:27 | +2 | Shane Gatling made jump shot | 14-16 | |
10:43 | Â | Offensive foul on Godwin Boahen | Â | |
9:22 | Â | Shooting foul on Lucas Siewert | Â | |
8:50 | Â | Personal foul on Jordan Blount | Â | |
8:17 | Â | Offensive foul on Marcus Ottey | Â | |
8:07 | Â | Personal foul on Jamie Ahale | Â | |
7:43 | Â | Personal foul on Evan Battey | Â | |
7:43 | Â | Personal foul on Jacob Wiley | Â | |
7:43 | +1 | Deleon Brown made 1st of 2 free throws | 17-23 | |
7:23 | Â | Offensive foul on Namon Wright | Â | |
6:34 | Â | Offensive foul on Jordan Blount | Â | |
5:33 | Â | Personal foul on Evan Battey | Â | |
5:02 | +2 | Marcus Ottey made layup, assist by Tarkus Ferguson | 24-26 | |
5:02 | Â | Shooting foul on McKinley Wright IV | Â | |
4:39 | Â | Offensive foul on Rob Howard Jr. | Â | |
4:12 | Â | Shooting foul on McKinley Wright IV | Â | |
3:21 | Â | Offensive foul on Shane Gatling | Â | |
3:09 | Â | Personal foul on Deleon Brown | Â | |
2:32 | Â | Shooting foul on Godwin Boahen | Â | |
1:55 | Â | Offensive foul on Lucas Siewert | Â | |
50.0 | Â | Defensive rebound by Godwin Boahen | Â | |
32.0 | +2 | Marcus Ottey made layup | 29-34 | |
6.0 | Â | D'Shawn Schwartz missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
18:52 | Â | Personal foul on Jordan Blount | Â | |
17:46 | Â | Offensive foul on Travell Washington | Â | |
17:19 | Â | Personal foul on Lucas Siewert | Â | |
16:49 | Â | Shooting foul on Godwin Boahen | Â | |
15:20 | Â | Shooting foul on Michael Diggins | Â | |
15:20 | +1 | Shane Gatling made free throw | 43-51 | |
13:57 | Â | Shooting foul on Evan Battey | Â | |
11:49 | Â | Bad pass turnover on Tarkus Ferguson, stolen by Tyler Bey | Â | |
10:07 | Â | Shooting foul on Jacob Wiley | Â | |
9:30 | Â | Offensive foul on Godwin Boahen | Â | |
9:21 | Â | Offensive foul on Tyler Bey | Â | |
8:58 | Â | Personal foul on D'Shawn Schwartz | Â | |
8:25 | Â | Shane Gatling missed jump shot | Â | |
8:23 | Â | Personal foul on Jacob Wiley | Â | |
7:28 | Â | Shooting foul on Rob Howard Jr. | Â | |
7:28 | +1 | Evan Battey made 1st of 2 free throws | 58-65 | |
7:20 | Â | Personal foul on Evan Battey | Â | |
6:42 | Â | Personal foul on Michael Diggins | Â | |
6:34 | Â | Offensive foul on Jordan Blount | Â | |
6:22 | Â | Bad pass turnover on McKinley Wright IV, stolen by Godwin Boahen | Â | |
5:55 | Â | McKinley Wright IV missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
5:53 | Â | Defensive rebound by Michael Diggins | Â | |
5:40 | Â | Godwin Boahen missed 3-pt. jump shot | Â | |
5:38 | Â | Defensive rebound by Tyler Bey | Â | |
5:28 | +2 | Lucas Siewert made hook shot | 60-70 | |
5:05 | Â | Marcus Ottey missed jump shot | Â | |
5:03 | Â | Offensive rebound by Illinois-Chicago | Â | |
5:03 | Â | Personal foul on D'Shawn Schwartz | Â | |
5:02 | Â | Marcus Ottey missed layup | Â | |
5:02 | Â | Offensive rebound by Jordan Blount | Â | |
5:02 | +2 | Jordan Blount made tip-in | 62-70 | |
4:30 | +3 | D'Shawn Schwartz made 3-pt. jump shot, assist by McKinley Wright IV | 62-73 | |
4:19 | Â | Personal foul on Tyler Bey | Â | |
4:19 | +1 | Jordan Blount made 1st of 2 free throws | 63-73 | |
4:19 | +1 | Jordan Blount made 2nd of 2 free throws | 64-73 | |
4:06 | Â | Lost ball turnover on McKinley Wright IV, stolen by Marcus Ottey | Â | |
3:56 | Â | Marcus Ottey missed dunk | Â | |
3:54 | Â | Defensive rebound by D'Shawn Schwartz | Â | |
3:47 | Â | McKinley Wright IV missed layup | Â | |
3:45 | Â | Defensive rebound by Michael Diggins | Â | |
3:34 | +3 | Tarkus Ferguson made 3-pt. jump shot | 67-73 | |
3:30 | Â | Personal foul on Michael Diggins | Â | |
3:30 | +1 | Tyler Bey made 1st of 2 free throws | 67-74 | |
2:26 | Â | Personal foul on Marcus Ottey | Â | |
1:50 | Â | Offensive foul on Marcus Ottey | Â | |
1:35 | +2 | McKinley Wright IV made layup | 70-80 | |
40.0 | Â | Personal foul on Godwin Boahen | Â | |
29.0 | Â | Personal foul on Marcus Ottey | Â |
Min. Per Game | ||
Pts. Per Game | ||
Ast. Per Game | ||
Reb. Per Game | ||
Field Goal % | ||
Three Point % | ||
Free Throw % |
 | Personal foul on Marcus Ottey | 29.0 |
 | Personal foul on Godwin Boahen | 40.0 |
+ 2 | McKinley Wright IV made layup | 1:35 |
 | Offensive foul on Marcus Ottey | 1:50 |
 | Personal foul on Marcus Ottey | 2:26 |
+ 1 | Tyler Bey made 1st of 2 free throws | 3:30 |
 | Personal foul on Michael Diggins | 3:30 |
+ 3 | Tarkus Ferguson made 3-pt. jump shot | 3:34 |
 | Defensive rebound by Michael Diggins | 3:45 |
 | McKinley Wright IV missed layup | 3:47 |
 | Defensive rebound by D'Shawn Schwartz | 3:54 |
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
Points | 0 | 0 |
Field Goals | 0-0 (0.0%) | 0-0 (0.0%) |
3-Pointers | 0-0 (0.0%) | 0-0 (0.0%) |
Free Throws | 0-0 (0.0%) | 0-0 (0.0%) |
Total Rebounds | 0 | 0 |
Offensive | 0 | 0 |
Defensive | 0 | 0 |
Team | 0 | 0 |
Assists | 0 | 0 |
Steals | 0 | 0 |
Blocks | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
Fouls | 0 | 0 |
Technicals | 0 | 0 |
Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | STL | BLK | TO | OREB | DREB |
Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | STL | BLK | TO | OREB | DREB |
Bench | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | STL | BLK | TO | OREB | DREB |
Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | STL | BLK | TO | OREB | DREB |
Starters | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | STL | BLK | TO | OREB | DREB |
Bench | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | PF | STL | BLK | TO | OREB | DREB |