CHICAGO -- UIC will celebrate the collegiate careers of seniors Clint Robinson and Tai Odiase and put a bow on the 2017-18 regular season on Sunday, Feb. 25, when the Flames host the Wright State Raiders at 5 p.m. It is #PackThePav with tickets available for as low as $5, family-friendly activities planned, $1 beer pregame and $1 hot dogs throughout the afternoon, while supplies last.

The Flames (17-13, 12-5 Horizon League) sit in third place in the Horizon League standings, one game behind Sunday's opponent, Wright State (21-9, 13-4 Horizon League). Both teams fell on Friday, but should they end up tied ofr second place with a UIC victory, the Raiders hold the tiebreaker for the second seed in the upcoming 2018 Little Caesars Horizon League Championship at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. With a win, and an IUPUI victory over Northern Kentucky Sunday, Wright State would finish as conference co-champions and with the No. 1 seed by virtue of its two wins over the Norse.

Robinson, Odiase and senior head manager Mike Kelly will be honored in a pregame ceremony Sunday, thanking them for their contributions to the turnaround of the UIC basketball program. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and find their seats by approximately 4:40 p.m. CT, when the ceremony will take place on the floor at the UIC Pavilion.

STARTING FIVE

• The Flames have won 12 conference games for the first time since 2003-04 (12), UIC's last NCAA Tournament season.
• UIC has won at least 17 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2002-03 and 2003-04, when it combined for 45 victories.
• The Flames gave won 12 of their last 15 games since Jan. 4 at IUPUI.
• UIC is seeking its 11th win of the season at the UIC Pavilion, most in the Steve McClain era and most since 2012-13 (12).
• The Flames are concluding the regular season against Wright State for the fourth time in five seasons (1-2).

A WIN VS. WSU WOULD GIVE UIC...

• Its 13^th victory of the year in conference play, most since 1993-94 (14 - Mid-Con).
• Eighteen wins for the first time since 2012-13 and for the 10^th time in the Division I era.
• A share of second place in the Horizon League, the team's highest finish since 2003-04 (2nd - 12-4).

THANK YOU, SENIORS!

Sunday marks the final regular season home game in the illustrious careers of UIC seniors Clint Robinson and Tai Odiase. The pair has been integral in the program's resurgence over the last two seasons. UIC has won at least 17 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2002-03 and 2003-04, while the 12 wins in Horizon League play entering the weekend are the most since 2004.

Originally from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Robinson has bolstered UIC's frontcourt by working tirelessly on the glass, protecting the rim and serving as one of the team's most consistent performers over the last two seasons. One of his most memorable efforts came as a junior when he scored 11 points off the bench and matched a career high with three blocks to help the Flames knock off Stony Brook in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational on March 16.

This season Robinson has played a key role in 28 games entering the Sunday and he has been the first reserve to enter the game a team-high 14 times. In UIC's first-ever win at Oakland on Feb. 2, Robinson pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

Odiase is completing his fourth season in a UIC uniform and has continually grown every step of the way. Entering this weekend he has played in 124 games as a Flame, starting 111 of them, and 99 in a row. He has started every single contest over the last three seasons. Earlier this season Odiase broke both the UIC and Horizon League records for career blocks. He passed Scott VanderMeer on Dec. 9 against DePaul to set the new school record and topped former Youngstown State player Damian Eargle on Jan. 18, at YSU, with career block No. 310. The 2017 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year owns more than 340 rejections entering the weekend and is the NCAA's active career leader in blocks.

Earlier this season Odiase scored his 1,000^th point in a UIC uniform on Jan. 20 at Cleveland State, becoming the 23^rd player in program history to reach the milestone. Additionally, the Glenwood, Ill., native is one of only seven players in program history with 1,000 points and 700 rebounds. He is the only one with 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 200 blocks.

It is also the final home game on the bench for senior manager Mike Kelly. He has been with the Flames for the past four seasons and has essential duties in practice, game preparation, travel and more. Kelly works diligently to ensure that everything the Flames have everything they need both at home and on the road. Last season he was also in uniform for a large portion of the season, making himself available to help the team by any means necessary.

SCOUTING THE RAIDERS

• Wright State enters Sunday's meeting with a record of 21-9 and a 13-4 mark in Horizon League play.
• The Raiders are alone in second place, one game behind Northern Kentucky and one game ahead of the Flames.
• Wright State plays some of the toughest defense in the nation. The Raiders rank second in the Horizon League and 29th in the NCAA by allowing 65.7 points per game. WSU leads the conference and ranks 24th nationally in turnovers forced with an average of 15.77 per game.
• Senior Grant Benzinger is the top scorer for the Raiders with 14.4 points per game. He had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, plus four steals, in the first meeting with UIC on Dec. 28.
• Redshirt freshman Loudon Love in one of the Horizon League's top newcomers. The Geneva, Ill., native nearly averages a double-double with 12.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

UP NEXT

• UIC will begin the 2018 Little Caesars Horizon League Championship on Sunday, March 4 at brand new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
• Though the Flames could finish in a tie for second place with Wright State with a win over the Raiders Sunday, UIC is locked into the third seed. WSU would own the tiebreaker by virtue of its two wins over first-place Northern Kentucky.
• The Flames will play the sixth seed - either Milwaukee, IUPUI or Oakland - at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT next Sunday. UIC swept the regular season series with the Panthers and Jaguars, while splitting with the Golden Grizzlies.