UIC's men's tennis team will return to the courts Saturday evening for a clash with South Dakota State.  The teams will square off in UIC's lone dual match of the season at Hinsdale Racquet Club at 6:00 pm.

The Flames (4-6), fresh off a 7-0 victory over Niagara, will look to build their second winning streak of the season.  Earlier, they won three consecutive matches before dropping below .500 with three straight losses before the Niagara match.

The Flames did not lose a set in the shutout of Niagara.  Carl Hedstrom and Marcelo Dib ran their #1 doubles record to a team best 3-1.  Christian San Andres picked up his team leading fifth singles win of the season.  Niko Wasilewicz and Alvaro de la Fuente clinched the doubles point with their first win together, and Kailash Panchapakesan secured the overall victory with his 6-1, 6-2 win at #6 singles.

The Jackrabbits enter the weekend with a 1-12 record.  Their lone win came against Westmont College, which was followed by an 8-1 loss to Azusa Pacific in their most recent match.  Gabriel Santos earned SDSU's point at #3 singles.  It was Santos' third win of the season.  Emerson Styles leads the squad with five singles wins, all at the #1 position.

South Dakota State's record includes a 4-3 loss to Horizon League member Wright State.  The Jackrabbits will face DePaul Friday evening in the first match of their trip to Chicago.

The teams met each other last season in Tulsa, Okla., where the Flames battled for a 4-3 win.  Dib won a singles point and was on a winning doubles team.  Hedstrom also won a doubles set, helping UIC claim the pivotal doubles point.  Styles, playing at #3 singles, earned a point for SDSU.

This will be UIC's final non-conference test before five straight Horizon League matches through mid-April.  It will also be the Flames' last home match until an April 15 date with Green Bay at the Flames Outdoor Tennis Courts.