CHICAGO--In front of a large crowd early Saturday afternoon at Credit Union 1 Arena the Flames defeated the Evansville Aces (6-6, 1-3) to secure their first Missouri Valley Conference win in program history, 57-53.

UIC now improves to 9-6 on the year and 1-3 in conference play. They snapped a five-game losing streak that dated back to early December, haven't not won since Dec. 4 on the road against Cincinnati.

The Flames were led offensively by Josie Filer, who scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to secure her second double-double of the season. Jaida McCloud also finished with 15 points and seven boards. Kristian Young made nine assists during the game, surpassing her old season high of seven against Cincinnati.

Right from tip-off it was evident that the Flames found confidence back in their offense early-on. Shooting 42.9% from the field, the Flames had their best quarter with their shot selection, taking an early lead, 16-12. However, the Aces remained close throughout the first half, outscoring the Flames 13-11 in the second quarter. The Flames still held strong at half-time however, 27-25.

Though having shot the ball the best in the first quarter, the Flames came out of half-time scoring 17 points in the third quarter, their highest all game. Fending off the Aces for the remaining of the game, the Flames proved to be too much for their opponents, as the final seconds ticked off the clock, securing the win.


The Flames hosted five-year-old Gigi Anderson and her family as honorary guests of the game. Gigi has been battling Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor since her diagnosis back in 2021. Her parents say she's now healthy after undergoing additional surgeries and multiple medical treatments.

Although a relatively quiet night from the bench, the Flames bench once again outscored their opponent, beating the Aces, 8-2. This the 13^th game this season that the Flames have accomplished that feat.

The Flames extend their win streak against the Aces now to three games dating back to 2017. However, the Aces remain in the lead in the overall series, 9-6.

The Flames remain home next week when they are set to host Valparaiso (2-10, 0-4) on Wednesday, January 11^th. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.