CHICAGO -- UIC closes out nonconference play on Friday, Dec. 20 as the Flames welcome UC Irvine to Credit Union 1 Arena. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.

SERIES STUFF
• Saturday's game is the second all-time meeting between the Flames and Anteaters.
• UIC won the lone meeting between the two programs, a 77-65 victory on Nov. 15, 2003 at the Dell BCA Classic in the Flame's regular season opener.
• Cedrick Banks scored a team-high 25 points while Aaron Carr added 17 for a Flames squad that would go on to advance to the NCAA Tournament later that season.
• The 'Eaters are 7-6 on the year and are coming off a second round appearance in last year's NCAA Tournament following a 70-64 opening round victory over 4th-seeded Kansas State.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
• Braelen Bridges tallied UIC's third double-double of the season, and second in as many games, with 14 points and 14 rebounds against DePaul on Dec. 14.
• Bridges tied a season-high with the 14 points while setting a new high with the 14 rebounds. His 29 minutes played also set a new season/career best for the sophomore in his first year with the program.
• Godwin Boahen recorded UIC's second double-double of the year on Dec. 7 with 13 points and 12 rebounds against Purdue Fort Wayne.
• It was the second double-double of Boahen's career and the 12 rebounds matched a career-high for the senior.
• Junior Michael Diggins recorded his first-career double-double and the first double-double for UIC in 2019-20 on Nov. 16 against Bradley with a team-leading 13 points and 11 rebounds.

THE BAND IS BACK
• Senior Marcus Ottey made his season debut for the Flames in their game against DePaul on Dec. 14 after missing the first 10 games of the year due to injury.
• Ottey, UIC's active leader in career scoring, finished the game with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting while playing 24 minutes.
• One game later against Illinois State (Dec. 18), fellow senior Jordan Blount made his season debut after missing the first 11 games of the year. 
• The native of Cork, Ireland finished with six points and six rebounds in 12 minutes.