CHICAGO -- In a classic Horizon League Tournament tussle, the fourth-seeded UIC Flames upended the fifth-seeded Youngstown State Penguins Thursday night, 67-61. The victory, which was the second in the nine-team tournament for UIC, helped the Flames punch their ticket to Indianapolis for a semifinal showdown against the top seed, Wright State, on Monday, March 9 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.



The Flames have reached the semifinals for the second time under the direction of head coach Steve McClain. Their first appearance in the tournament's final four came at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in 2017.

It will be the third meeting of the season between the Flames (17-16) and Raiders (25-6). UIC was the first foe to hand WSU a loss in Horizon League play when it took down the Raiders at Credit Union 1 Arena on Jan. 12, 76-72. The Flames led by as many as 15 points in the second half of that game before they fought off a late surge to secure the victory. Michael Diggins led five Flames in double figures with a game-high 20 points, while Jordan Blount netted 16. Tarkus Ferguson added 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a game-high five assists.

Wright State exacted revenge in the rematch on Feb. 14, winning at the Nutter Center, 75-58. Ferguson was the high scorer for UIC that night with 18 points, while Marcus Ottey added 15.

Monday's meeting, which tips at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT will be televised on ESPNU. It is the first semifinal of the evening as No. 2 Northern Kentucky will meet No. 3 Green Bay later in the evening. For a look at the full bracket, please click here.

The Horizon League will host a Free Fan Zone at the 2020 Horizon League Basketball Championships on March 9 and 10, located in Grand Hall, steps away from the Indiana Farmers Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center (1202 E. 38th Street, Indianapolis, IN). The Fan Zone will feature multiple screens with live television, tailgate games, photo opportunities and food and beverage for purchase. The menu will feature fan favorites from the Indiana State Fair including brisket, tots, fried pickles, nachos, cookies and more. A full bar and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.

The Fan Zone will be open in-between the men's and women's sessions on each day. On Monday, March 9, fans can visit the Fan Zone after the women's semifinals from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET before heading in to the men's semifinals. The Fan Zone will be open again on Tuesday, March 10 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET following the noon women's championship game and leading into the men's championship matchup.

Horizon League Championship Links & Information:

• Bracket (PDF)
• Fan Guide (PDF)
• Ticket Information
  • UIC is offering a FREE TRIP for current students that includes transportation, game ticket, lodging and a UIC basketball t-shirt. For more details and to sign up, please click here.
  • Tickets are $25 for reserved seating and $10 for general admission. For those UIC fans looking to sit near the team, the Flames will be the visiting team during Monday's semifinal and as such will occupy the bench in front of section 117.
  • The women's semifinals, men's semifinals, women's championship and men's championship games will be treated as separate sessions. Single-session tickets are valid for all games in the session. In total, there are four sessions, two per day.
  • Ticketmaster fees are waived by purchasing tickets in-person at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum box office.
• Hotels, Transportation, Parking
  • Multiple area hotels are offering discounted accommodations for Horizon League fans.
  • The blocks for fan reservations have been extended to Saturday, March 7.
• Shuttle Schedule
  • A complimentary shuttle will be available from the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre to the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. The shuttle is available on a first come first serve basis and riders DO NOT need to be a guest of the hotel
    • Monday, March 9
      • -Every hour from 11:00am-5:00pm - Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre will depart on the hour and the Indiana Farmers Coliseum on the half hour.
      • Every half hour from 5:30pm-11:30pm - Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre and Indiana Farmers Coliseum will depart on the half hour
    • Tuesday, March 10
      • Every hour from 11:00am-3:00pm - Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre will depart on the hour and the Indiana Farmers Coliseum on the half hour
      • Every half hour from 6:00pm-10:30pm - Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre and Indiana Farmers Coliseum will depart on the half hour
• Lyft
  • Fans can also save 15% off two rides up to $5 each using code REACHtheHORIZON. 
• Parking
  • The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center has more than 7,000 paved spaces. Fans should enter through Gate 1 (38th Street) or Gate 6 (Fall Creek Parkway). There is a $10 facility charge per vehicle. Cash and credit cards are accepted.
• Restaurant Discounts
• Indiana Farmers Coliseum
• Visit Indianapolis

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