CHICAGO -- UIC closes out its trip to Michigan Saturday (Jan. 29) afternoon as the Flames take on Oakland. Tip-off inside the Athletics Center O'Rena is slated for 2 p.m. (CT) on ESPN+.

OPENING TIP
• Jamie Ahale had a perfect first half of shooting against Detroit Mercy last time out, going 4-for-4 from the field. Ahale finished the game with 12 points, setting season highs in points, field goals and 3-point field goals.
• UIC ranks second in the Horizon League in assist-to-turnover ratio, dishing out 1.26 assists for every turnover the team commits. Kevin Johnson and Jalen Warren rank third and fifth, respectively, in assist-to-turnover ratio among all Horizon League players. Johnson's rate is 2.09 with Warren at 2.00.
• Kevin Johnson became the first UIC player to earn a weekly award this year when he was named the Horizon League Player of the Week on Jan. 17. The guard averaged 20.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game over three contests, shooting 59% from the field, 47.1% from 3-point range and 88.2% from the free throw line.

MATCHUP BREAKDOWN
• UIC and Oakland will close out the regular season series after the Golden Grizzlies claimed an 81-77 win in the Horizon League opener for both teams back on Dec. 2.
• Oakland enters the contest second in the Horizon League standings with an 8-1 mark in League play.

LIGHTS OUT SECOND HALF
• In UIC's 81-77 win over Milwaukee, the Flames shot 66.7% from the field in the second half to erase a seven-point halftime deficit.
• Kevin Johnson, limited to two points in the first half, scored 26 points in the final 20 minutes. Johnson went 9-for-10 from the field in the second period, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the 3-point line.
• Damaria Franklin, held to four first-half points, added 14 in the second half thanks to a 7-for-10 shooting effort from the field.
• The duo combined to go 16-for-20 (80%) from the field in the second half and scored 40 of UIC's 54 second-half points.

PICKED THE POCKET
• Kevin Johnson has racked up the steals during his now five-year career. Over the course of his career, Johnson has recorded 267 steals, the fifth-most among all active Division I players. Johnson's 1.98 steals per game ranks 15th among active players while his 2.20 assist-to-turnover ratio is 16th best among active players.
• Johnson has recorded at least one steal in 13 games this year, including a season-high three in UIC's win over IUPUI on Jan. 10.
• In UIC's 91-50 victory over Trinity Christian on Nov. 16, Jamie Ahale registered a career-high four steals.
• Damaria Franklin matched the effort with four steals against San Diego on Nov. 26.
• The four swipes are tied for the most by a Flames player under head coach Luke Yaklich.