The two most decorated teams in the Horizon League will square off in the season opener Thursday.  UIC visits Wright State for the long anticipated beginning of the 2020-21 season.

UIC will return to the pitch for the first time since November 2019.  All but two starters from the team that won the Horizon League regular season title return.  Bukola Abdulwahab (8 G, 3 A), Nkusuwila Zulu (5 G, 3 A), Roberto Alonzo (4 G, 2 A), Christian Crespo and Jose Perez Flores (4 A each) are among the leading returners from an offense that ranked in the top seven nationally in categories encompassing goals, shots, and assists.

Focusing on the Flames' gaudy offensive numbers risks overlooking an experienced, stout defense.  Graduate students Jacob Graiber, the reigning Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and a preseason MAC Hermann Trophy watch list member, and Sokratis Vasilas, who played every minute in goal last season, are two of the team's leaders on and off the field.  Juniors Eddie Garcia and Pau Mateo, both of whom have been full-time starters since their freshman year, also return on the back line.

A five-member freshman class has been on campus training with the Flames since September.  They bring the experience of multiple state championships at the high school and club levels, as well as individual accolades including All-American, All-Region, All-State, and a plethora of conference- and sectional-level awards.

The Flames have won the Horizon League regular season or tournament championship in each of the last five seasons.  Wright State has three titles in that span and is the defending tournament winner.

Excitement is the rule when these teams meet.  Nine of the last 12 matchups have been draws or one-goal margins, with five going to overtime.  That includes last year's classic at Flames Field, which UIC won in OT after scoring the tying goal at 89:37.

Thursday's game will start at noon Central.  There will be no live video.
 
LAST MEETING

• The Flames needed late drama to defeat Wright State, 3-2 in overtime, on October 12, 2019.
• Andres Moreno scored at 89:37 to tie the match.  It was his first goal as a Flame. Bukola Abdulwahab netted the game-winner in the extra session.
• The Flames improved to 4-1 in overtime matches.  They finished the 2019 season with a school record six wins, and an overall 6-1-1 record, in OT affairs.

 
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS

• Wright State outlasted Milwaukee in a PK shootout to win the Horizon League title, and then topped Notre Dame and tied Michigan in the NCAA tournament.
• Four of WSU's top five scorers have departed.  Ids Hannema (7 G, 2 A) is the only returning player who had more than five points in 2019.
• Wright State enters the season having no goalkeepers with any Division I experience.

 
A TOP-5 OFFENSE

• UIC's relentless attack placed the team in the top five in several categories in the final 2019 NCAA rankings.
• The Flames lead the nation in shots on goal per game (8.7) and in shots per game (19.7).
• UIC has scored 46 total goals, good for seventh in the country, with 2.6 per game ranking fifth.
• The team was ninth in total assists, with 43, which works out to 2.4 per game and a sixth place showing.
• With 135 points, UIC has yet another sixth place ranking.  The Flames were fourth with 7.5 points per game.

 
RAIDER RUMBLINGS

• UIC holds an 18-13-6 lead in the all-time series.  The Flames topped the Raiders in the 2016 and 2018 Horizon League championship games.
• WSU has a narrow 7-6-4 lead in games played in Dayton.
• UIC has won the last two games head to head, and is 2-0-1 in the last three matchups at Wright State.