Opening Day has come for the UIC women's basketball team, which will face Bethel College in the 2017-18 season opener Friday at noon at the UIC Pavilion.

Starting Five

• The Flames' top two scorers and rebounders from 2016-17, Brittany Byrd and Taylor Toney, return for their junior seasons.  Byrd averaged 12.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season.  Toney put up 10.8 and 5.7.
• Two four-year starters graduated after last season.  Terri Bender scored over 1100 points and became the school's all-time leader in assists, and ranked second in steals.  Melita Emanuel-Carr was third on the team in scoring and one of the Flames' best free throw shooters.
• Six newcomers will vie for playing time in the void left by Bender, Emanuel-Carr, and four others who graduated or transferred.  Five freshmen, all of whom showed promise in the exhibition game, and junior transfer Kienya Jones, offer athleticism, size, and shooting touch.
• The Flames are shooting for their fourth straight season-opening win under head coach Regina Miller, who returns for her seventh season.  Miller added assistant coach Kristen Morris to her staff this year.  Morris played in three Final Fours at LSU.
• UIC finished second in the Horizon League in steals, and third in offensive rebounds, last season.

Last Time Out

• The Flames defeated Governors State in an exhibition matchup, 82-36, last Thursday.
• Brittany Byrd led the Flames with 15 points and eight rebounds.  Teodora Zagorac was 5-for-5 from the floor and scored 13 points.
• Every player saw action.  Among the freshmen making their first collegiate appearance, Jada Nneji blocked a shot and had five steals, and Kiarra Thompson had five points.
• UIC outrebounded the Jaguars 49-33, and turned 30 Governors State turnovers into 29 points.

Bethel Bits

• This will be the first meeting between UIC and Bethel.
• The Pilots, a member of the Crossroads League (NAIA), have a record of 1-2 this season.
• Kamala Glenn is Bethel's leading scorer (17.7 points per game).  Kaitlin Elsasser had 14 points and 14 rebounds in their win over Trinity Christian Tuesday.

Season Preview with Coach Miller

• In the video below, head coach Regina Miller discusses the preseason workouts, the veteran leaders on the team, and what you can expect from the Flames this season.