CHICAGO -- UIC began its three-game homestand in fine fashion Wednesday night with a victory over Green Bay and the Flames will be right back at it on Friday, Jan. 12, when the Milwaukee Panthers visit the UIC Pavilion for another Horizon League showdown at 7 p.m. CT.

UIC (7-10, 2-2 Horizon League) evened its mark in conference play with an 84-73 triumph over the Phoenix of Green Bay on Wednesday night. The Flames shot 58.2 percent from the floor, 44.4 percent from beyond the arc and dished out 20 assists, all of which are season highs for head coach Steve McClain and his squad. Four different players scored in double figures for UIC, highlighted by a 23-point performance from Dikembe Dixson. The sophomore made 10-of-12 attempts from the field, including all three from downtown. Tarkus Ferguson was not one of the four players in double figures in the scoring column, however he did match a career high with 12 assists for the Flames.

Milwaukee (9-9, 2-3 Horizon League), which is in the closing stretch of a five-game road trip, was nipped at the buzzer by the IUPUI Jaguars Wednesday night, 72-71. The Panthers grabbed a one-point lead with 6.1 seconds remaining, but IUPUI's Evan Hall guided in a layup as time expired to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. Jeremiah Bell, who is averaging 18.6 points per game in League play paced the Panthers with 21 on Wednesday. Bryce Nze added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds off the bench for Milwaukee.

STARTING FIVE

• UIC continues an 18-game Horizon League slate on Friday, Jan. 12 vs. Milwaukee.
• The Flames swept the regular season series against the Panthers last season for the first time since 2007-08.
• UIC is in the midst of a busy stretch of five games in 11 days that began Wednesday against Green Bay.
• The Flames continue a three-game homestand Friday. It is the third of four homestands that stretch at least three games this season.
• The Flames have won-back-to-back games for the first time in the regular season.

A WIN VS. MILWAUKEE WOULD GIVE UIC...

• The third Horizon League victory of the season and second at the UIC Pavilion.
• A 3-0 record against teams from Wisconsin this season (UW-Parkside & Green Bay).
• A 3-0 record on Fridays (North Carolina Central & Dartmouth).

OFFENSIVE EFFICIENCY

• UIC had its best performance of the season from the floor Wednesday, shooting 58.2 percent against Green Bay.
• It was the third time this season that Flames eclipsed 50 percent from the field (Delaware State & UW-Parkside).
• It marked the best effort from the field since the Flames shot 61 percent in a 105-100 overtime victory at Milwaukee on Feb. 4, 2017.
• UIC dished out a season-high 20 assists o 32 field goals against Green Bay. Tarkus Ferguson paced the squad and matched a career high with 12 helpers against the Phoenix.

ON THE DEFENSIVE

• UIC leads the Horizon League in field goal percentage defense with the opposition shooting  only 40.6 percent against the Flames this season.
• In Horizon League games only, UIC is allowing opponents to shoot 39.1 percent.
• UIC has held all four conference opponents below their season average in field goal percentage. Wright State shot 10.5 percent below its average, Northern Kentucky was 7.0 percent below its average, IUPUI shot 1.9 percent below its average and Green Bay 1.2 percent below its average.
• In the second half of UIC's four Horizon League games, the opposition is shooting only 37.2 percent from the field.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

• Milwaukee arrives at the UIC Pavilion with a record of 9-9 and two wins in five Horizon League games.
• The Panthers rank third in the conference in scoring defense by allowing only 68.3 points per game, however they are last in the League in scoring with an average of 68.0 ppg. In five League games Milwaukee has upped its scoring average slightly to 71.2 points per game.
• Milwaukee is led in scoring by redshirt junior Brock Stull at 14.1 points per game. He averaged 17.7 points per game in three meetings with UIC last year and scored 30 in a game the Flames won in overtime, 105-100.

UP NEXT

• The Flames finish the homestand on Monday night against Oakland at 7 p.m. CT.
• The Golden Grizzlies boast the Horizon League's top three scorers in Kendrick Nunn (25.7 ppg), Jalen Hayes (19.3) and Martez Walker (19.1 ppg).
• The contest will be televised on NBC Sports Chicago. Jordan Bernfield will handle the play-by-play with David Kaplan providing analysis.

More notes, statistics and information about Friday's game can be found in the UIC Game Notes PDF linked in the blue box above.