CHICAGO – The UIC women's basketball team (2-5) will wrap up its week in Indiana by facing its second-straight Missouri Valley Conference opponent in Indiana State (4-3) on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT inside the Sycamores' Hulman Center.

Starting Five

• Brittany Byrd and Taylor Toney make up the team's top two in points, attempts, makes and rebounds. The duo also anchored UIC's offense at Evansville, leading the squad in points and rebounds.
• Byrd is averaging 13.7 points per game to rank sixth in the Horizon League. Her game-high 23 points on Wednesday at Evansville marked her fifth double-digit effort of the season and was also her second showing of the season netting 20+ points.
• Tylah Lampley has been UIC's primary contributor off the bench thus far, ranking third on the squad in points (43) and rebounding average (4.0 per game). Lampley is the Flames' second-most efficient shooter, making 40 percent of her shots. The junior is also number one in blocks, averaging 1.0 blocks per contest.
• The Flames rank second in the Horizon League in steals, averaging 8.6 thefts per contest. The Flames have recorded more steals than their opponents in their last two contests (Miami and Evansville), and reached double digits in steals on Nov. 27 at Eastern Michigan (11) and on Dec. 1 against Miami (14). UIC's 14 thefts against Miami were a team season high.
• Jasmine Gaines continues to hone her skills, serving as the lone newcomer to start every game so far, ranking fourth on the team in assists (1.3 per game) and fifth in field-goal percentage (.333). On Wednesday at Evansville, Gaines put up her most points (six), while also matching her personal best in rebounds (three).

Last Time Out

• The Flames snapped a five-game skid and took home their first road victory of the season with a 62-54 showing against Evansville on Wednesday.  
• All but one player who saw court time scored on Wednesday, led by 23 points from Brittany Byrd and a season-high 18 points from Taylor Toney
• Both Byrd and Toney were close to a double-double, tallying nine rebounds apiece to lead the Flames.
• The Flames had their best shooting from the floor since the season opener, outshooting the Aces 42.3 percent to 28.8 percent.
• The two teams were even on the boards, with Evansville barely edging out the Flames, 37-36.
• The Flames were stronger in the paint, 22-16, and were able to capitalize on 14 Evansville turnovers, turning them into 13 points. The Aces got seven off just 12 UIC miscues.

Scouting Indiana State

• Indiana State is also under new direction under first-year head coach Vicki Hall. The Sycamores are 4-3, but have lost their last two contests, against Horizon League-member IUPUI and Big Ten-foe Illinois.
• Indiana State averages 64.1 points per game, with an offense led by Ashli O'Neal, who leads the squad in points (16.7 ppg) and rebounds (5.3 per game).
• O'Neal has reached double figures in every game this season and in 17 of her last 18 appearances.
•  Kierra Isaiah has also been stepping up lately for the Sycamores, tallying double-digit scoring efforts in their last two contests.

What's at Stake
With a win, UIC would:

• Win its third game of the season
• Win its second-straight game against Indiana State
• Earn its second-straight road victory

Up Next

• The Flames will step away from the court next week for final exams, returning to host UCLA on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. CT.

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