UIC will return to Flames Field for just the second time this season when they host Horizon League for IUPUI Saturday night.  The Flames' 5-1 start is their best six-game record since 2008, and though IUPUI enters at 1-2-2, they earned a Horizon League win over Detroit Mercy last weekend after going winless in the league last year.

"[Jaguars head coach] Bryan [Barnett] had a very good coaching mentor in Jim DeRose, and we've seen consistent improvement in the IUPUI program since Brian has taken over," head coach Sean Phillips said.  "He has instilled a tremendous belief in his players, and the way they're playing right now, having given up only four goals in five games, means that it's going to be a great challenge for us to break them down."

The match will pit the reigning Horizon League Offensive (Oscar Gonzalez, UIC) and Defensive (Quinn McCallion, IUPUI) Players of the Week.

"We're going to have to move the ball quickly, stay with 1- and 2-touch, and stay balanced because they're good enough in transition that if we get caught out of balance they can counter-attack," Phillips continued.  "It's going to be another Horizon League challenge in which we are going to have to stay disciplined defensively, in transition, and in our set pieces."

The match will kick off at 7:00 and can be seen on ESPN+.  It is also the program's annual Alumni Night, which will recognize all Flames soccer alumni with special acknowledgement of the 1968 and 2008 squads.  The '68 team was UIC's first NCAA qualifier, receiving a bid to the College Division Mideast Regional.  The '08 squad was the Horizon League regular season champion and received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to the Sweet 16.

Preview With Peter Becht

 
 Last Time Out

• The Flames took down crosstown rival DePaul, 2-0, on Tuesday.
• Max Todd scored his sixth goal of the season, making a nice 1-on-1 move to get the keeper out of position and send it home in the 30th minute.
• Peter Becht, who assisted on Todd's goal, flicked a header inside the near post off a Jesus Perez corner to make it 2-0.
• Sawyer Jackman made three saves for his third clean sheet of the season. Cristian Sanchez preserved the shutout with a defensive save after Jackman made a play and was left out of position on the counter.

 Flames to Watch

• Max Todd leads the team with six goals, four of which have been game-winners.
• Jesus Perez leads the Horizon League with seven assists. Oscar Gonzalez is behind him in third place, with four.
• Jacob Graiber is on this week's Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week, following his assist against Western Michigan and dedicated defensive play in the Flames' win over Oakland.
• Sawyer Jackman has three shutouts this season, thanks in part to a back line that has allowed a Horizon League-low 8.5 shots per game.

 Scouting the Jaguars

• IUPUI played Eastern Illinois to a scoreless draw Wednesday.
• Previously, the Jaguars downed Horizon League foe Detroit Mercy, 1-0.
• Tommy Patacca has two of the team's three goals on the season.
• Corey Goede has two of the squad's three assists.
• Quinn McCallion has a 0.71 goals against average and two shutouts.

 New Acquaintances

• UIC and IUPUI played just once, in 2012, before meeting as conference foes last season in the Jaguars' maiden Horizon League campaign.
• The Flames are undefeated in the brief series. They drew in '12 and claimed a 4-2 win last year in Indianapolis.
• Oscar Gonzalez had two goals, and Peter Becht added the first of his career. Jesus Perez and Lyes Ghezali each had two assists.

Statistically Speaking

• Max Todd is the national leader in game-winning goals, with four.
• Jesus Perez ranks first in the country in assists, with seven.
• The team is fifth nationally in assists per game, and ninth in points per game.