The UIC women's basketball team (5-23, 2-15 HL) will conclude the regular season with a battle for Horizon League Tournament seeding when they travel to Valparaiso (8-20, 3-14 HL) for a Saturday afternoon contest.  Tipoff from Valpo's Athletics-Recreation Center will be at 1:30 as the Flames seek their third season sweep of the Crusaders in the last four years.

UIC will need to bounce back from a rough outing at Green Bay.  The Phoenix, who boast the #2 defense in the country, frustrated the Flames' offense all night long in a 65-31 win in which UIC posted its lowest point and field goal totals of the year.  Gabryelle Johnson was the Flames' lone double digit scorer with 10.  The Phoenix turned UIC turnovers into points at a brisk clip, ending with a 33-7 advantage in the category, as well as a 41-19 edge in rebounds.

The Flames need only look back to their first game against Valparaiso for an example of what can happen when things go right for them.  In the 74-60 win at UIC Pavilion on Jan. 28, the Flames set season highs in efficiency from the floor (.553) and the free throw line (.810), as well as a conference high in assists (21, on 26 baskets).

Taylor Toney scored a season high 25 points on 11-for-12 shooting, kicking off a stretch in which she scored in double digits in five of six games while shooting 54%.  Tyra Carlsten-Handberg scored a career high 18 points in the first meeting with Valpo, and was named Horizon League Freshman of the Week.

Valparaiso has won two of their last four Horizon League games after a 1-12 start.  The wins have come against Northern Kentucky and Detroit Mercy, but they lost their last outing to Milwaukee, 80-64.  The Crusaders led by five at the half before Milwaukee put together a 32-16 onslaught in the third quarter behind 6-8 shooting from behind the arc.  Dani Franklin led Valpo with 19 points.  She is sixth in the league in scoring and seventh in rebounding.  The Crusaders are second in rebounding and second in blocks, due in part to having five rotation players over 6 feet tall.

Saturday's contest has implications for next week's Horizon League Tournament.  With a win, UIC will clinch 9^th place in the standings and play a first round game at 1:30 March 3.  Saturday's loser will be locked into 10^th place and the 11:00 am game on the first day of Motor City Madness.

With their win over Valpo earlier this season, UIC took a 24-23 lead in the all time series.  The Flames have won six of the last seven and 13 of the last 17 meetings, including six of the last eight in northwest Indiana.  Coincidentally, the teams met in last year's season finale, with Valpo winning 80-74 in Chicago.

Several Flames are within reach of statistical milestones with one game to go.  Terri Bender needs just one point to reach 200 for the season, while Melita Emanuel-Carr and Tyra Carlsten-Handberg are 11 and 15 points, respectively, away from the same mark.  Bender would have to get eight rebounds to reach 100 on the season.  The team's regular season scoring lead is up for grabs.  Taylor Toney enters action four points ahead of Brittany Byrd in that race.