CHICAGO -- UIC closes out its two-game road trip on Saturday, Feb. 12, as the Flames take on Purdue Fort Wayne. Tip-off inside the Gates Sports Center is slated for 6 p.m. (CT).

• Kevin Johnson, who was celebrating his 23rd birthday Thursday night, hit the game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left to lift UIC to a 76-75 upset victory over league-leading Cleveland State on the road. The Flames trailed from the opening tip until Michael Diggins' basket with just over a minute remaining gave UIC a brief lead. After the Vikings regained the lead in the closing moments, the stage was set for Johnson's heroics. 

• Kevin Johnson and Jalen Warren rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in assist-to-turnover ratio among all Horizon League players. Johnson's rate is 2.25 with Warren at 2.09.

• 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.

• Saturday will be the lone meeting between UIC and Purdue Fort Wayne this year after thier previously scheduled contest on Dec. 30 was canceled due to COVID-19.

• The Mastodons enter the game 14-10 overall and tied for sixth in the League standings with a 9-6 mark in conference action.

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.

• Kevin Johnson has racked up the steals during his now five-year career. Over the course of his career, Johnson has recorded 275 steals, the fifth-most among all active Division I players. Johnson's 1.98 steals per game ranks 15th among active players while his 2.22 assist-to-turnover ratio is 14th best among active players.

• Johnson has recorded at least one steal in 15 games this year, including five games in which he collected multiple steals in the contest.

• In UIC's game at Oakland on Jan. 29, Johnson recorded five steals, the most by any UIC player under head coach Luke Yaklich and the most by a UIC player since former standout Jordan Blount recorded five against Illinois State on Dec. 5, 2018.