CHICAGO, Ill. — Nick Billingsley came off the bench to lead UTSA with 17 points, but Dikembe Dixson scored a game-high 31 points to lead UIC to an 86-78 win on Wednesday night at UIC Pavilion.
Billingsley went 4-of-8 from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line to pace the Roadrunners (0-3), who closed their three-game road trip to start the season. Jeff Beverly added 14 points to tie his season high and collected seven rebounds.
UTSA pulled down 37 rebounds, 18 of which came on the offensive end for the squad, which came into the contest ranked 15th in the nation with 18.5 offensive boards per outing. Those 18 rebounds led to 23 second-chance points.
Meanwhile, Dixson neared a double-double with a game-high nine rebounds. Marcus Ottey finished with 15 points and Tarkus Ferguson chipped in with 13 points for the Flames (1-1), who shot 54.2 percent in the second half.
Chicago native George Willborn III got UTSA on the board early and his 3-pointer from the left wing gave the Roadrunners a 6-5 lead. However, the Flames took control with a 15-1 run that resulted in a 20-7 cushion.
UIC would lead by as much as 13 twice, but UTSA began to chip away at the deficit over the final four minutes of the first half.
Billingsley provided an offensive spark off the bench as he scored seven points during an 11-3 stretch, which pulled UTSA within 37-32. Gino Littles started the run with a pair of free throws before Billingsley's corner trey. Byron Frohnen connected on a layup inside and Billingsley capped the run with a layup of his own.
The Flames added a free throw, one of 12 makes from the charity stripe in the period, to take a 38-32 lead to halftime.
Two free throws on the opening possession of the second half helped the Roadrunners pull within 38-34 and after the teams traded baskets, the Flames broke open the close game with an 11-0 run for a 51-36 advantage.
UIC held a double-digit advantage for the next 10 minutes, but UTSA again began to chip away at the deficit as Nick Allen drilled a 3-pointer and scored inside to cut into the Flames' lead.
UTSA got within 67-61 on Giovanni De Nicolao's layup with 5:22 to play, but the visitors could get no closer.
The Roadrunners held UIC to just one basket in the final five minutes only to watch UIC make 15 free throws down the stretch to stymie each attempt at a UTSA rally.
Billingsley, Littles and Austin Karrer each hit 3-pointers in the last minute of the contest, but it was not enough as the Flames took home the 86-78 win.
UTSA will open its home slate at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 when it hosts Prairie View A&M (1-1) at the Convocation Center.
