CHICAGO -- UIC returns to the court following a two-week break to take on Horizon League newcomer Purdue Fort Wayne Jan. 8-9 on the road. The Flames will begin the series with a 6 p.m. (CT) tip Friday before capping the two-game roadtrip with a 4 p.m. start on Saturday.

MESSED AROUND AND GOT A TRIPLE-DOUBLE
•    Teyvion Kirk collected the third triple-double in UIC history in the Flames' win over Oakland on Dec. 20.
•    The junior scored a career-high 22 points and brought in a career-best 11 rebounds to go along with 11 assists. He became the third player in program history to record a triple-double, joining Godwin Boahen (Dec. 22, 2016) and Tarkus Ferguson (Dec. 5, 2018).
•    Kirk is one of four players in Division I basketball to record a triple-double this season and the only Horizon League player to do so.

DISH IT OUT
•    Teyvion Kirk had a stellar performance against Valparaiso on Dec. 1, finishing the game with 14 points and 14 assists.
•    The 14 helpers are the most for UIC this season and most by a UIC player since Martell Bailey had 15 on Nov. 23, 2003.
•    Kirk is just 1-of-16 players nationally since the start of the 2010-11 season, and only player this year, to finish a game with at least 14 points and 14 assists while committing 1 or fewer turnovers.
•    On the year, Kirk averages a team-leading 8.9 assists per game, tops in the Horizon League and second nationally. His 62 total assists rank 12th nationally.
•    Kirk has more assists (62) than the rest of the team combined (57).
•    As a team, the Flames are dishing out 17.0 assists per game to rank first in the Horizon League.

BRING EM BACK
•    After missing the entire 2019-20 season and the first four games of this season due to injuries, Rob Howard made his return to the Flames lineup in their game against Loyola on Dec. 13.
•    The 6-foot-8 forward played 11 minutes off the bench and was one of four players in double figures, finishing the game with 11 points.
•    Howard has immediately made an impact on the team, scoring a career-high 23 points in the Flames' win over Oakland (Dec. 20).
•    Maurice Commander made his UIC debut against Ball State on Dec. 5 after missing the first three games of the season.