The UIC Flames will conclude their road trip, along with the road portion of their non-conference schedule, with a Monday afternoon contest against Howard in Washington, DC.  Both teams enter play with identical 2-7 records.

UIC is on the hunt for their first road win of the season after going down to the Virginia Cavaliers Friday.  Despite a season high 6 three pointers, the Flames could not find consistency on the offensive end of the floor.  They made 55% of their long distance shots in the first half, but shot just 22% inside the arc for the game.  The three ball may be a weapon for UIC Monday, as Howard is allowing 41% on three point shots this season.

The game will comprise the return meeting of a home-and-home series that was started last season in Chicago.  The Flames triumphed in the 2015 home opener, 75-48.  Melita Emanuel-Carr, who leads the Flames in scoring this season (9.8 ppg), had 11 points and 5 assists against the Bison.  Brittany Byrd made her collegiate debut and connected on two three-pointers.

Byrd had to wait until the eighth game of this season to see the court for the first time, and has made up for lost time in the first two games of this road trip.  She averaged 12.5 points and totaled five steals against Northwestern and Virginia – two teams that did no favors to UIC's strength of schedule.  The Flames have played the toughest schedule in the Horizon League, and the 44^th most difficult in the nation, to date.

UIC has been at its best this season when being disruptive on the defensive end of the court.  The team ranks 35^th nationally in steals.  Three Flames are in double digits in the category, and every player who has seen action this season has logged at least three steals.

Howard has split their last four games after an 0-5 start. They were outscored by 28.2 points per game in that opening skid, but are plus 4 points per game since. Te'Shya Heslip has been a force for Howard. She leads the team in scoring (17.8 ppg), assists (37), steals (33), three pointers (16, 39%), free throws (44, 80%), and minutes (34.3 mpg). Imani Bryant and Jayla Myles add size to the frontcourt as they average 13.9 rebounds and have 19 blocks between them.

It will be just the second home game of the season for Howard, who played their first seven games on the road.  They have won their lone home game so far and went 2-10 in Burr Gymnasium last year.

The Flames will return home for their final non-conference tilt against Bradley Thursday, then will have a week off before the Horizon League opener at Oakland.