CHICAGO – The UIC men's basketball team jumped out to an early 11-2 run but were unable to maintain the momentum, falling to Missouri State, 66-51, in the program's first-ever conference games as members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
Jalen Jackson scored a season-high 14 points on 50% shooting from the field while Jace Carter led the Flames with 15 points. Tobi Okani had his third game with 10+ rebounds this season, bringing in a game-high 12.
 
Jackson opened the scoring with a triple just over a minute into the game, kickstarting an early UIC run that put the hosts in front, 11-2, with 14:14 remaining. An 11-0 Missouri State run pulled the Bears in front for the first time Wednesday at 13-11 and would not trail for the remainder of the game.
 
Missouri State, who took a six-point lead into the break, scored the first four of the second half to build a 10-point advantage. The Flames attempted to make a late rally, using an 8-0 run to pull within eight with just over four minutes to play. Jackson led the charge during the run, scoring six of the eight points while Carter added a layup.
 
The run could not be sustained as the Bears pulled away late to claim the victory in the conference opener for both programs. UIC makes its first roadtrip of MVC play on Saturday, Dec. 3, when UIC heads to Des Moines, Iowa, to square off against Drake. Tipoff is slated for 5 p.m.