2020-21 UIC Men’s Basketball Notes | at Ball State | Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena @UIC_MBB UIC Athletic Communications | 839 W. Roosevelt Rd. Chicago, IL 60608 Director of Communications (MBB Contact): Dan Wallace Office: 315-355-3139 Cell: 630-450-2077 | @_DanWallace @UIC_MBB E-mail: [email protected] | Web: UICFlames.com UIC Men’s Basketball GAME INFORMATION - UIC at BALL STATE UIC FLAMES (3-0) Date: Saturday, December 5 Head Coach: Luke Yaklich (Illinois State, 1998) Time: 1:00 p.m. (CT) Record at UIC: 3-0 (1st season); Career Record: 3-0 (1st season) Site: Worthen Arena | Muncie, Ind. Watch: ESPN3 VS Announcers: Peyton Monnell (pbp) | David Eha (color) BALL STATE CARDINALS (0-2) Live Stats/Twitter: UICFlames.com / @UIC_MBB Head Coach: James Whitford (Wisconsin, 1994) th th UIC vs. BSU All-Time: 0-1 Record at Ball State: 107-120 (8 season); Career Record: 107-120 (8 season) Current Series Streak: BSU, 1 First Meeting: Nov. 13, 2019 (L, 48-67) 3 POINT PLAY DISH IT OUT Last Meeting: Nov. 13, 2019 (L, 48-67 @UIC) • UIC hits the road for its third MAC oppo- • Teyvion Kirk had a stellar performance nent of the season, taking on Ball State on against Valparaiso on Dec. 1, finishing the 2020-21 SCHEDULE/RESULTS (3-0, 0-0 HL) Saturday, Dec. 5. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. game with 14 points and 14 assists. • The 14 helpers are the most for UIC this DATE OPPONENT TV TIME/RESULT (CT) on ESPN3. • UIC improved to 3-0 to start the year for season and most since Martell Bailey had 15 Nov. 25 at Northern Illiniois NONE W, 65-61 on Nov. 23, 2003. the first time since 2001 with a 66-50 win Nov. 28 CENTRAL MICHIGAN! ESPN3 W, 74-72 • On the year, Kirk averages a team-leading over Valparaiso last time out.Teyvion Kirk 9.7 assists per game, tops in the Horizon Dec. 1 VALPARAISO! ESPN3 W, 66-50 had a nearly flawless game, finishing with his League and fourth nationally. His 29 total Dec. 5 at Ball State ESPN3 1:00(CT) first-career double-double with 14 points and assists are the fifth-most in the NCAA. 14 assists while committing just one turnover. • As a team, the Flames are dishing out 17 Dec. 13 LOYOLA TBA 1:00 • The Flames have limited opponents to assists per game to lead the Horizon League Dec. 19 OAKLAND* TBA TBA just 14.3% shooting from 3-point range this and rank 54th nationally. Dec. 20 OAKLAND* TBA TBA season, first in the Horizon League and ninth nationally. UIC limited Valpo to 7.1% shooting EARLY-SEASON WINS Dec. 26 at Milwaukee* TBA TBA from deep, the third -lowest opposing 3-point • Head coach Luke Yaklich picked up his first Dec. 27 at Milwaukee* TBA TBA field goal percentage dating back to 2010. win as a college head coach with a 65-51 win Jan. 1 DETROIT MERCY* TBA TBA over Northern Illinois in the Flames' regular season debut Nov. 25. Jan. 2 DETROIT MERCY* TBA TBA PLAYER OF THE WEEK • RayQuawndis Mitchell picked up the first • He became the fifth head coach to win their head coaching debut with the Flames and first Jan. 8 at Purdue Fort Wayne* TBA TBA weekly honor for the Flames this season as he since Willie Little's squad defeated Brooklyn, Jan. 9 at Purdue Fort Wayne* TBA TBA was named the Horizon League Player of the 91-77, on Nov. 26, 1983. Jan. 15 ROBERT MORRIS* TBA TBA Week on Nov. 30. • The Flames then defeated Central Michigan, • For the week, Mitchell averaged 17.5 points Jan. 16 ROBERT MORRIS* TBA TBA 74-72, on Nov. 28 in UIC's home opener to im- per game while shooting 43.5% from the field prove to 2-0 on the year. It was the ninth 2-0 Jan. 22 at Youngstown State* TBA TBA and 53.3% from 3-point range. start in UIC's DI history and first since 2007-08. Jan. 23 at Youngstown State* TBA TBA • Mitchell began the week with a game-win- • The win over the Huskies marked the fifth ning 3-pointer against Northern Illinois (Nov. consecutive home opening win for UIC dating Jan. 29 at Northern Kentucky* TBA TBA 25), finishing with 12 points, before scoring back to the 2016-17 season. UIC has now won Jan. 30 at Northern Kentucky* TBA TBA a game-high 23 points in a win over Central 31 home openers in its DI history is 17-4 in Feb. 5 Wright State* TBA TBA Michigan (Nov. 28). home debuts since 2000-01. • He is the first Flame to earn Player of the • The Flames improved to 3-0 for the first Feb. 6 Wright State* TBA TBA time since 2001-02 with a 66-50 win over Week honors since Tarkus Ferguson did so on Feb. 12 at IUPUI* TBA TBA Valparaiso. That 2001-02 team would go on to Feb. 4, 2019. earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Feb. 13 at IUPUI* TBA TBA Feb. 19 Green Bay* TBA TBA UIC’S PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (based on previous game) Feb. 20 Green Bay* TBA TBA Pos. No. Player (Hometown) Yr. Ht. Wt. PPG RPG Of Note... G 21 RayQuawndis Mitchell (Atlanta, Ga.) Jr. 6-5 205 15.0 3.0 HL Player of the Week (11/30) TBA at Horizon League Tournament TBA G 20 Jamie Ahale (Montrose, Australia) Sr. 6-5 205 3.7 3.7 HOME GAMES (played at Credit Union 1 Arena) IN BOLD CAPS F 2 Michael Diggins (Las Vegas, Nev.) Sr. 6-8 195 7.7 4.3 ! - UIC Basketball Invitational | * - Horizon League game F 35 Zion Griffin (Chicago, Ill.) Jr. 6-6 215 8.0 3.0 Scored 10+ points in first two games ^ - Horizon League Championship (Campus Sites) F 23 Braelen Bridges (Atlanta, Ga.) R-Jr. 6-10 235 13.0 7.0 Double-double (17p/13r) vs. CMU @ - Horizon League Championship (Indianapolis, Ind.) All times CT and subject to change OFF THE BENCH G 0 Brian Taylor (Detroit, Mich.) So. 6-6 205 7.0 2.0 Tied career-high w/ 11pts vs. Valpo PRONUNCIATION GUIDE: G 1 Maurice Commander (Chicago, Ill.) Jr. 6-0 175 -- -- Chattanooga transfer Jamie Ahale .................................................. (uh-HALE) F 3 Jacob Wiley (Houston, Texas) Sr. 6-7 210 2.0 1.0 Braelen Bridges ............................................(BRAY-len) G 4 Teyvion Kirk (Joliet, Ill.) Jr. 6-5 185 10.3 7.3 First-career double-double (14p/14a) vs. Valpo Deon Ejim .........................................................(EH-jim) F 10 Deon Ejim (Toronto, Ontario) R-So. 6-6 250 2.3 2.3 Teyvion Kirk ...............................................(tay-VEE-on) G 13 Demetrius Calip II (Woodland Hills, Calif.) Fr. 6-4 165 -- -- RayQuawndis Mitchell ........................(ray-KWON-dis) G 14 Brad Bowditch (Milton, Wis.) Fr. 6-0 180 -- -- Luke Yaklich, Griffin Yaklich ........................(YOCK-lich) G 15 Griffin Yaklich (Joliet, Ill.) Fr. 6-6 200 -- -- Son of HC Luke Yaklich F 22 Rob Howard (Gary, Ind.) R-Sr. 6-8 230 -- -- Sat out 2019-20 due to injury 2020-21 UIC Men’s Basketball Notes | at Ball State | Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena UIC ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS DOUBLE TROUBLE UIC DEBUTS Points ..............................................678 (Michael Diggins) • Braelen Bridges recorded the first double-dou- • Three players made their UIC debut in the 3-point Field Goals .................................84 (Jamie Ahale) ble of the season for the Flames against Central Flames' season-opener against Northern Illinois. Free Throws ....................................106 (Michael Diggins) Rebounds........................................384 (Michael Diggins) Michigan (Nov. 28) with 17 points and 13 rebounds • Zion Griffin and RayQuawndis Mitchell both Offensive Rebounds ..........................98 (Michael Diggins) in a win over the Chippewas. started the contest while Teyvion Kirk came off the Defensive Rebounds .......................286 (Michael Diggins) • It was Bridges' fourth double-double of his bench. Assists .............................................103 (Michael Diggins) Steals ................................................54 (Michael Diggins) career after tallying three a season ago. • Despite not starting, Kirk tied for the team lead Blocks ...............................................62 (Michael Diggins) • The 13 rebounds fell one shy of matching Bridg- with Mitchell in minutes (37), while the pair both es' career-high of 14, set last year at DePaul. led the Flames in scoring with 12 points. Kirk also CAREER GAMES/STARTS (AT UIC) No. Player GP GS • Teyvion Kirk nearly registered a double-double led the team in rebounding (6) and assists (9). 2 Michael Diggins 106 42 in the season debut against Northern Illinois, fin- • Griffin was the third player to play 30 or more 3 Jacob Wiley 90 1 ishing with 12 points and a team-high nine assists. minutes and also scored in double figures, finishing 20 Jamie Ahale 70 10 23 Braelen Bridges 37 35 with 11 points. 22 Rob Howard 30 17 LATE-GAME HEROICS NEW MAN IN CHARGE 10 Deon Ejim 33 8 • UIC newcomer RayQuawndis Mitchell made • It was announced on March 26 that Luke Yak- 0 Brian Taylor 29 1 21 RayQuawndis Mitchell 3 3 an immediate impact for the Flames, making the lich had been named the 11th head coach in UIC 35 Zion Griffin 3 2 go-ahead 3-pointer in UIC's 65-61 season-opening program history. 4 Teyvion Kirk 3 0 victory over Northern Illinois on Nov. 25. • The Joliet, Illinois native spent the 2019-20 DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING GAMES • Down by one, Mitchell drilled a 3-pointer from season as the associate head coach at Texas and No. Player 2020-21 Career the top of the arc with 16.6 seconds remaining to helped lead the Longhorns to a 19-12 record and a 2 Michael Diggins -- 24 put the Flames ahead, 61-60.