Dec. 9, 2011
Download/Print Pre-Game Notes 
► UIC will look to capture its second-straight home win Saturday, when the Flames host in-state foe Northern Illinois in a non-conference battle at the UIC Pavilion. The Flames dropped a pair of Horizon League decisions by a combined five points last week, falling short at both Green Bay (12/1/11) and Milwaukee (12/3/11). NIU is 0-7 on the season, and has been idle since last Saturday (Dec. 3), when the Huskies fell to Nebraska-Omaha, 77-72.
► UIC has won three-of the last four meetings versus NIU, dating back to the 2005-06 campaign. The Huskies recorded an 80-78 win over the Flames at the Convocation Center last season (12/14/10), despite five UIC players scoring in double figures. Overall, the Flames have controlled the all-time series, with a 21-15 lead in 36 total meetings.
► In its last home game (11/23/11), UIC outlasted visiting Evansville, 79-75. Freshman Marc Brown and sophomore transfer Hayden Humes combined to score 42 points, and the Flames recorded a convincing rebounding advantage, 40-28.
► Since the Flames began playing their home games at the UIC Pavilion prior to the 1982-83 season, UIC has compiled a 10-3 record against Northern Illinois at the facility.
► NEXT UP: UIC will begin a two-game road trip next Tuesday (Dec. 16), when the Flames travel to Corvalis, Ore., to take on Oregon State. The Beavers are 6-1 on the season, and just one win away from equaling their best start to a season since 1986. OSU will host Idaho Friday night.
THE COACHES
UIC: Howard Moore (Wisconsin, '95) is in his second season as the head coach at UIC, where he has compiled a 9-29 overall record. He spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, helping the Badgers to five straight NCAA tournament berths. Moore, 38, also served assistant coaching stints at Loyola (2004-05), Ball State (2003-04) and Bradley (1999-2003).
Northern Illinois: On March 24, 2011, Mark Montgomery was introduced as the 27th head coach in the history of the Northern Illinois University men's basketball program. Montgomery comes to NIU following 10 seasons at his alma mater, Michigan State University, six as an assistant coach and the last four as associate head coach.
ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS
» Northern Illinois finished the 2010-11 campaign with a 9-21 (5-11 MAC) record. The Huskies are returning five letterwinners, including two starters from last year's team. NIU's 2011-12 roster includes eight freshmen.
» Senior Tim Toler is the leading returning scorer (9.9 ppg) and rebounder (5.5 rpg) for the Huskies. He has posted four double-digit scoring outputs this season, and is coming off a 25-point, eight-rebound performance against Nebraska-Omaha last Saturday (Dec. 3).
» Freshman Abdel Nader, a native of Skokie, Ill., is averaging 10.1 points per game.
» NIU is 0-4 on the road this season, with two of those setbacks coming against Big Ten Conference foes (Purdue and Iowa). Against UIC, the Huskies will play the first of three-straight games against in-state non-conference foes. NIU will host DePaul (Dec. 14) and Southern Illinois (Dec. 17) in their next two contests.
FLAMES FALL SHORT AT MILWAUKEE IN OT, 73-71
MILWAUKEE - Junior point guard Gary Talton poured in a game-high 18 points, and the Flames completed a spirited comeback to claim a late lead in regulation, but host Milwaukee edged the UIC men's basketball team, 73-71 in overtime at U.S. Cellular Arena last Saturday.
In the second half, UIC collectively shot 53.6 percent from the field -- the Panthers tied the game late in regulation, and out-scored the Flames 14-12 in overtime. Talton missed potential game-winning shots at both the end of regulation and in overtime, as the Flames' comeback fell just short.
Seniors Paris Carter and Darrin Williams scored 14 and 10 points, respectively, to join Talton in double figures. Milwaukee was led by Kyle Kelm, who scored 18 points, including an 8-for-10 effort from the free throw line. James Haarsma (14) and Kaylon Williams (13) also posted double-digit scoring outputs.
POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: UIC shot a season-best 69.6 percent (16-23) from the free throw line ... The Flames committed a season-low 10 turnovers ... UIC out-rebounded the Panthers 48-36, its second-highest rebounding output of the season ... Gary Talton's 18 points led UIC in scoring, his fourth double-digit scoring effort of the season ... Paris Carter's 14 points marked his second game in double figures this season ... Senior center Darrin Williams chipped in 10 points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds ... UIC's bench outscored Milwaukee's reserves, 28-13 ... The Flames scored 36 points in the paint, and out-paced the Panthers on the fast break, 6-0 ... UIC shot a combined 51.2 percent (20-39) in the second half and overtime ... Milwaukee converted six three-pointers, the most for a UIC opponent this season ... UIC hit three treys, tying for its lowest output of the year ... There were a combined six ties and lead changes in the game ... The Flames dropped to 1-3 on the season in games decided by five points or less.
ATTACK ON THE MAC
Against Northern Illinois, UIC will be playing its third Mid-American Conference West Division opponent of the season. The Flames opened the season with a 67-58 loss at Eastern Michigan, and dropped an 82-67 decision at Toledo on Nov. 26. UIC will play four-of the five teams in the MAC-West during non-conference play, wrapping up the slate at Central Michigan on Dec. 16. The only MAC-West squad that UIC is not scheduled to face this season is Western Michigan.
ERASING THE MISHAPS
Perhaps the most glaring statistic that plagued the UIC men's basketball team during the month of November was its turnover rate. The Flames averaged 20.0 turnovers per game entering the opening weekend of Horizon League play, but on the two-game road swing, UIC significantly cut down on its mishaps. Over the final combined 65:00 against Green Bay and Milwaukee, UIC committed just 15 turnovers, trimming its season average to 17.4 turnovers per contest.
CONTROLLING THE OFFENSIVE GLASS
Last season, UIC led the Horizon League in offensive rebounding, and through the first seven games of the 2011-12 campaign, the Flames have picked up right where they left off. UIC is currently averaging a League-best 15.7 offensive boards per contest. Senior Paris Carter (2.6 rpg; 7th) and freshman Marc Brown (2.4 rpg; 9th) both rank in the top-10 of the League in offensive rebounding. Overall, the Flames have out-rebounded six-of their seven opponents this season.
HUMES FINDING HIS GROOVE
Sophomore transfer forward Hayden Humes, who tallied his first-two starts of the season to begin Horizon League play last week, is off to a quick start in an unfamiliar category for his position: three-point distance. The Valparaiso, Ind., native is 10-of-17 from three-point range, a Horizon League-best 58.8 percent. Notably, Humes is averaging 11.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game over the past four contests.
EMERGING FLOOR GENERAL
Junior point guard Gary Talton, a transfer from Mountain View (Texas) Community College, is beginning to emerge as the Flames' leader on the floor, and one of the top newcomers in the Horizon League. Talton, who has started the past two games, is averaging 12.8 points and 3.3 assists per game over the last four contests. Talton led Mountain View to the NJCAA Division III National Championship last season, ranking in the top-five of the nation in assists per game.
BALANCED ATTACK
Through the first seven games of the season, UIC has enjoyed a balanced scoring attack. Seven players are averaging at least seven points per game, including four newcomers, and two freshmen. Senior center Darrin Williams enters Saturday's game against Northern Illinois as the Flames' top scorer, at 9.9 points per outing.
SHOOTING THE LIGHTS OUT
Senior center Darrin Williams enters Saturday's game versus Northern Illinois shooting a team-best 60.9 percent (28-of-46) from the field. If that clip holds up throughout the 2011-12 season, Williams would become just the fifth player in UIC history to shoot at least 60 percent in a single season, and the first since Jermaine Dailey (.628) in 2007-08.
PLENTY OF NEW FACES
The UIC men's basketball team will field the 16th youngest team in the NCAA Division I ranks during the 2011-12 season. Head coach Howard Moore and his staff have welcomed nine newcomers to the mix, including seven freshmen. Of UIC's six returning players, only Darrin Williams and Paris Carter saw action in 28 or more games last season. For a chart of the youngest teams in NCAA Division I basketball this season, see page 4.
