Horizon League Men's Basketball Player of the Week (Dec. 26)

INDIANAPOLIS – UIC’s Tai Odiase has been named Horizon League Player of the Week after he connected on 70 percent of his field goal attempts, including 8-of-10 from the floor against Northern Arizona on his way to a career high 24 to go along with 11 rebounds. For the Week, Odiase averaged 21 points and nine rebounds as the Flames won two games. Godwin Boahen recorded UIC’s the first triple-double in UIC program history and has been named Freshman of the Week.

Player of the Week | Tai Odiase, UIC | Junior | Center | Glenwood, Ill.
Odiase posted his second consecutive double-double when he erupted for a career-high 24 points and tallied a season-high 11 rebounds in a victory against Northern Arizona on Dec. 20. The junior shot 80 percent (8-of-10) from the field against the Lumberjacks and made a career-best eight points at the charity stripe.

Forty-eight hours later Odiase returned to notch a game-high 18 points to go along with seven rebounds in just 23 minutes against Roosevelt on Dec. 22. The Glenwood, Ill., native led the Flames with 21 points, nine points and two blocks per game in two victories. He also did not commit a turnover while playing a team-high 27.5 minutes per game.

This is Odiase’s second player of the week honor (Feb. 8, 2016) for his career and first of the season.

2016 Horizon League Players of the Week
Nov. 14 – Mark Alstork, Wright State
Nov. 21 – Mark Alstork, Wright State
Nov. 28 – Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 5 –  Drew McDonald, Northern Kentucky | Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 12 – Lavone Holland II, Northern Kentucky
Dec. 19 – Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 26 – Tai Odiase, UIC

Freshman of the Week | Godwin Boahen | UIC | Guard | Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Boahen registered the first triple-double in UIC’s Division I history when he scored 13 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 11 assists in a convincing victory over Roosevelt Dec. 22. His 12 rebounds and 11 assists both mark single-game highs for any UIC player this season. The 5-feet-11-inch guard added a steal and had only one turnover in 31 minutes of action against the Lakers. The Toronto, Ontario, Canada, native had another balanced effort with nine points, five rebounds and five assists in victory against Northern Arizona Dec. 20.

This is the first freshman of the week honor for Boahen and the second for UIC this season (Marcus Ottey, Nov. 21).

2016 Horizon League Freshman of the Week
Nov. 14 – Carson Williams, Northern Kentucky
Nov. 21 – Marcus Ottey, UIC
Nov. 28 – Isaiah Brock, Oakland
Dec. 5 – Corey Allen, Detroit Mercy
Dec. 12 – Isaiah Brock, Oakland
Dec. 19 – Carson Williams, Northern Kentucky
Dec. 26 – Godwin Boahen, UIC