CHICAGO -- Winners of five of its last six games, the UIC men's basketball team returns to Credit Union 1 Arena for the first time in almost a month on Thursday, Feb. 6, to take on Milwaukee. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.

3 POINT PLAY
• UIC continued its winning ways last time out, picking up a thrilling 64-62 victory at Cleveland State to give the Flames their fifth win in the team's last six contests. Marcus Ottey played the role of hero, as the senior knocked down two free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining in UIC's battle with the Vikings.  Ottey finished the game with 15 points, all in the second half, while Tarkus Ferguson scored a game-high 20 points.
• The Flames lead the conference in blocked shots per game with 4.2 and total blocks with 100. UIC's 95 blocks this year rank 42nd nationally. The Flames rank 42nd in the country with 343 assists on the year.
• Tarkus Ferguson is one of two active players in Division I basketball with at least 1,400 career points, 600 career rebounds and 500 career assists. He is joined by Merrimack's Juvaris Hayes.

SERIES STUFF
• UIC is looking to split the season series with the Panthers, having dropped a 64-62 decision to Milwaukee on the road back on Jan. 5.
• Tied at 62-all in the closing seconds, Milwaukee's Te'Jon Lucas hit a game-winner as the buzzer sounded.
• Tarkus Ferguson scored a team-high 19 points while Braelen Bridges fell a rebound shy of a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds.
• Darius Roy enters the contest leading the Panthers in scoring, averaging 15 points per game, while DeAndre Abram brings in a team-leading 5.5 rebounds per contest.

HOME SWEET HOME
• After playing five consecutive games on the road, UIC returns home for five of its final seven games of the season, beginning this weekend with Milwaukee and Green Bay.
• The last time the Flames took to the court at Credit Union 1 Arena, UIC knocked off league-leading Wright State, 76-72, handing the Raiders their first conference loss of the year.

LEADERS OF THE PACK
• Looking at the Horizon League schools in conference play, UIC leads in a number of statistical categories.
• In conference-only games, the Flames lead the league in field goal percentage (.471), field goal percentage defense (.402), rebounds allowed (33.5), defensive rebounds collected (27.4) and blocked shots (4.8), while ranking second in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.263) and 3-point field goal percentage (.382).
• Individually, Tarkus Ferguson paces his counterparts in 3-point field goal percentage in league-only games, shooting at a .424 clip.

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
• UIC used a 14-5 run to close the game to force overtime against Youngstown State (Jan. 30) before outscoring the Penguins, 15-8, in the extra period.
• The Flames marched to the line nine times during the overtime period, sealing the victory with an 8-for-9 shooting performance from the charity stripe.
• Tarkus Ferguson (4-4) and Marcus Ottey (2-2) each went perfect from the free throw line in the OT period.