CHICAGO -- UIC finishes a busy stretch of four games in eight days to open the 2017-18 regular season on Saturday, Nov. 18, when it hosts Fort Wayne at the UIC Pavilion. It will be the second game of the 2017 Adolph Rupp Classic for both squads.

The Flames (2-1) are coming off a convincing 95-55 victory over Delaware State on Thursday night. The offense was clicking on all cylinders as UIC shot a season-high 54.5 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from beyond the 3-point line with 12 conversions. Head coach Steve McClain's squad capitalized on its opportunities with 21 second-chance points with 12 offensive rebounds and 21 more points off 17 Delaware State turnovers. Dominique Matthews led four Flames in double figures with a game-high 19 points and four 3-pointers.

Fort Wayne (2-1) comes into Chicago with an identical record to the Flames. The Mastodons also played Delaware State this week, topping the Hornets, 85-71, on Wednesday night at home. Fort Wayne shot 43.6 percent from downtown in the win with 17 3-pointers. Kason Harrell (6) and John Konchar (4) combined for 10 of the team's 17 triples. Former Purdue Boilermaker Bryson Scott is the team's leading scorer with 23.0 points per game, while Konchar averages a double-double with 13.0 points and 10.0 rebounds.

SWEET HOME CHICAGO

• UIC is beginning the regular season with four consecutive home games for only the third time in the Division I era (since 1981-82).
• Flames welcomed Drake, Roosevelt, Eastern Illinois and Northwestern to open the 2013-14 season.
• UIC also hosted Norfolk State, Oregon, Central Michigan and IUPUI to begin 1999-2000.

SOPHOMORE STANDOUTS

• In three games this season, UIC has been led in scoring by three different sophomores.
• Godwin Boahen netted 15 points against NCCU, Dikembe Dixson poured in 23 against Saint Joseph's and Dominique Matthews tallied 19 against Delaware State.
• Dixson is averaging a team-high 16.0 ppg, while another sophomore, Marcus Ottey, ranks second with 12.3 ppg.
• Tarkus Ferguson ranks fourth on the Flames in scoring (11.0 ppg) and leads the squad with 5.0 assists per game.
• Six sophomores on the roster have accounted for 79 percent of the team's scoring this season with 191 out of 242 total points.

ROTATION ROULETTE

• UIC has used three different starting lineup combinations in its three regular season and one exhibition game this season.
• Tai Odiase, Jordan Blount, Dikembe Dixson and Tarkus Ferguson have started all four games to date.
• Dominique Matthews opened vs. NCCU and Delaware State; Godwin Boahen got the nod against Saint Joseph's.
• Dixson (43) and Ferguson (39) have each started every game of their repsective careers.
• Odiase has started all 69 games since Steve McClain became the program's head coach in 2015-16.

BOOST FROM THE BENCH

• UIC has two players who are averaging double figures off the bench in sophomores Godwin Boahen (13.5 ppg/2 games) and Marcus Ottey (12.3 ppg/3 games).
• That pair is shooting 62 percent (24-of-39) from the field and 45 percent (9-of-20) from 3-point range off the bench.
• UIC's bench is averaging 30.0 points per game after tallying a season-high 39 on Thursday against Delaware State.
• Defensively, the entire reserve group averages 4.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per contest.

UNDERCLASS ACHIEVERS

• UIC is one of six NCAA programs to begin the season with three or fewer upperclassmen.
• The Flames currently carry two seniors in Tai Odiase and Clint Robinson, and one junior in Naradain James.
• The five other teams are: Kentucky (2), North Florida (2), Chattanooga (3), The Citadel (3) and George Mason (3).
• Head coach Steve McClain's roster features six sophomores and three freshmen.
• The underclassmen have played 78 percent (488-of-625) of the team's possible minutes.

More notes and information for Saturday's game can be found in the UIC Game Notes PDF that is linked in the blue box above.