CHICAGO –The UIC women's basketball team will leave Chicago for the first time in over a month for its first Horizon League road series, a brief two-game stint, beginning with Youngstown State on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 4:15 p.m. CT.

The Flames are looking to snap a two-game skid, while also seeking their first conference win of the season. UIC holds a 19-17 advantage all-time against the Penguins, but Youngstown State has taken the last four meeting between the two teams. The last meeting (Feb. 4, 2017) went into overtime, ending with a 65-59 victory for the Penguins.

Starting Five

• Brittany Byrd continues to lead the Flames in scoring, averaging 15.0 points per game. Byrd is also the Flames' leader in shot attempts and makes from the field overall and from three-point range.  Given all those superlatives, it should be no surprise that her personal struggles have overlapped with those of the team.  Byrd is shooting 43 percent in Flames wins, and just 27 percent in losses.
• Gabyrelle Johnson paces the Flames on the boards, leading the team in both offensive and overall rebounds. Johnson is currently seventh in the League in rebounding, and third in offensive rebounds.
• Catera Etheridge gave a spotlight to the Flames 82-46 loss to IUPUI on Saturday, Dec. 30 by scoring a career-high 17 points. Her 12 field goal attempts was also a career-high.
• Taylor Toney is in the top ten in the Horizon League in both offensive and defensive rebounds, averaging 6.8 total rebounds per game.
• The Flames are 37th in the nation and first in the Horizon League in turnovers forced, and have had a positive turnover differential in seven out of their 12 contests.

Last Time Out

• UIC welcomed IUPUI to the UIC Pavilion on Saturday  for its Horizon League premier, but were unable to stop the Jaguars, falling 82-46.
• Aside from Catera Etheridge's career-high 17 point showing, Taylor Tooney was the only other Flame to score in the double-digits with 10 points.
• The Jaguars outrebounded the Flames 42-22 and attempted 24 free throws to the Flames' five.
• IUPUI's 82 points was an opponent season-high for UIC. The Jaguars attempted 53 field goals to the Flames' 54, but were much more efficient, shooting 54.7 percent to UIC's 35.3 percent.

Presenting the Penguins

• The Penguins were riding a three-game win streak heading into their first Horizon League contest on Saturday (Dec. 30) against Oakland
• The Golden Grizzlies took advantage of offensive rebounds and turnovers to snap the Penguin's streak, 58-48.
• Indiya Benjamin paced the offense for Youngstown State with 11 points, while Sarah Cash also recorded a double-digit effort with 10 points.
• Anne Secrest grabbed seven boards to lead in the category, and Kelley Wright led with a pair of assists.

For additional game notes and links to the ESPN3 stream and live stats, please see the blue box above.