THE SERIES BREAKDOWN

• This weekend's matchup will be the 10th in the series between UIC and Western Michigan, with the Broncos holding a slim 5-4 edge over the Flames.

• Saturday's game is the back end of a home-and-home series between the schools, with UIC winning last year's contest, 62-56 in Kalamazoo.

• In that game, the Flames led wire-to-wire and by double digits most of the way after holding WMU to 18 first-half points.

• Among current UIC players, CJ Jones had 10 points, while Toby Okani added seven points and six rebounds in last year's game at Western Michigan.

• When the Flames and Broncos tip off Saturday, it will mark the fourth series meeting at Credit Union 1 Arena, where UIC is 2-1 all-time against Western Michigan. The two schools last played in Chicago slightly more than 29 years ago (Dec. 10, 1994), with the Broncos edging the Flames, 75-72.

• Speaking of close games, that has been a staple of the UIC-Western Michigan series. Eight of the nine previous games between the programs have been decided by single digits, including the past five encounters (and three of those five resulted in one-possession margins).

MORE ON WESTERN MICHIGAN

• The Broncos enter Saturday's game with a 2-7 record and have lost their last three games.

• WMU comes in off a week-long hiatus after a 72-68 loss at home to Youngstown State on Dec. 9. The Broncos had the lead in the second half, and were within two points with 16 seconds left, but YSU made two foul shots in the waning moments to ultimately provide the final margin.

• Six of Western Michigan's nine games this season have been decided by single digits, including one that went to overtime.

• Sophomore guard Seth Hubbard is the leading scorer for the Broncos this season at 14.4 points per game, followed by junior forward Owen Lobsinger, who averages 9.6 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game.

POLL POSITION

• UIC has been ranked in the top 100 of the NCAA NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings all season long, standing No. 97 as of Friday's report.

• The Flames have risen as high as No. 52 in the NET rankings this season (Dec. 4 report), the highest for UIC since the current metric was introduced prior to the 2018-19 season.

WINNING WITH DEFENSE, PART I

• For much of the season, UIC has ranked among the top 20 teams in the nation in several major defensive categories. The Flames remain No. 1 in the country in three-point percentage defense (.230), fifth in blocks (6.7 bpg.), 16th in scoring defense (62.0 ppg.) and 19th in field goal percentage defense (.382).

• During its Dec. 8 win at Jacksonville State, UIC held the Gamecocks to a 1-of-12 (.083) performance from three-point range. It marked the first time the Flames allowed just one triple on an opponent's home floor since Feb. 21, 2012, when UIC limited Butler to a 1-of-11 night from beyond the arc at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

• In its three games in the Bahamas over Thanksgiving, the Flames held their three opponents (Middle Tennessee, George Washington, UNCG) to a combined 59.0 points per game, a .362 field goal percentage (63-of-174) and a .231 three-point percentage (15-of-65).

• In its Nov. 14 road win, UIC held Loyola to a .328 field-goal percentage, the best defensive performance by the Flames against Ramblers since Feb. 24, 2007, when UIC held Loyola to a .296 mark in a 52-51 win, also at Gentile Arena.

WINNING WITH DEFENSE, PART II

• UIC head coach Luke Yaklich has developed a deserved reputation for building tough, defensive-minded clubs throughout his career on the sidelines.

• In his three-plus seasons with the Flames, UIC is 14-1 when holding opponents to 60 points or fewer, the lone loss coming back on Nov. 26 in the Flames' 58-57 last-second defeat to UNCG.

• The 40 points UIC allowed to Middle Tennessee on Nov. 24 in the Bahamas were the fewest yielded by the Flames since Dec. 30, 2014, in a 79-38 win over Judson at Credit Union 1 Arena.

• It was also the fewest points UIC has given up to a Division I opponent since Nov. 17, 2012, in a 62-36 win over Mercer at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

• As of Friday, senior guard Toby Okani ranks fourth nationally in blocks per game (2.9) and 14th in the land in defensive rebounds per game (7.3).

• Okani not only leads the MVC in blocks and defensive rebounds, but is also tops in The Valley in overall rebounding (8.7) and shares the lead in double-doubles (3), while tying for 10th in steals (1.5).

• Okani is the only player in the MVC to lead the conference in four statistical categories (no other Valley player leads in more than two areas).

• Okani is also one of only two players in the MVC to rank in the top 10 in the conference in the three primary defensive categories (rebounding, steals and blocks).

• Okani has recorded at least three blocks in six of UIC's 10 games this season, including a season-high six rejections in the Nov. 6 opener at Cincinnati.

THIS & THAT

• UIC has found quite a bit of success away from home this season. The Flames are a combined 4-2 in road/neutral games, including two wins over Atlantic 10 Conference opponents (Loyola and George Washington), as well as a 30-point victory over Conference USA preseason co-favorite Middle Tennessee.

• The Flames' dual wins over A-10 schools, both away from home (at Loyola on Nov. 14; vs. George Washington in the Bahamas on Nov. 25), marked the first time in program history UIC defeated two A-10 teams in the same season.

• Six of UIC's 10 games this year (including the past five) have been decided by 10 points or fewer, with the Flames going 3-3 in those contests. Four of the six close games took place away from home, with UIC winning three of those four.

• Along with Okani's leadership in four MVC statistical categories, graduate student guard Marquise Kennedy leads the conference in free throw percentage (.933), including an 8-for-8 performance in UIC's victory at Loyola.

• In Tuesday's game against Green Bay, the Flames connected on 12-of-19 three-point attempts, a season-high .632 from beyond the arc. It was UIC's best three-point shooting performance since Feb. 12, 2015 (.647 at Wright State).

LAST TIME OUT: GREEN BAY

• Senior guard Toby Okani collected his third double-double of the season with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots, but UIC came up on the short end of a last-second 70-68 decision to Green Bay on Tuesday at Credit Union 1 Arena.

• Senior guard Isaiah Rivera had 13 points and redshirt sophomore forward Jaden Brownell came off the bench to add 12 points on a career-high 4-of-4 three-pointers for the Flames.

• As a team, UIC connected on 12-of-19 three-pointers (season-high .632), led by Brownell and Okani, the latter of whom went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.

THE REIGN IN SPAIN

• UIC got an early jump on the 2023-24 season with a nine-day tour of Spain back in August, winning all three games it played against local club teams in Barcelona and Madrid.

• The Flames also enjoyed a number of the famous local attractions during their trip, including Barcelona's legendary church, La Sagrada Familia, and popular shopping district, Las Ramblas.

CARLOS HARRIS SIGNS WITH UIC

• On Nov. 9, UIC announced point guard Carlos Harris (6-2, 180) has signed a national letter of intent to play for the Flames beginning in 2024-25.

• One of the top players in the Chicago Public League for Curie Metropolitan High School, Harris averaged 16 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals per game last season in helping the Condors to a 20-11 record.

• Harris is a three-star athlete who is the No. 35 point guard in the country and the No. 13 player in the state of Illinois in the Class of 2024.

UP NEXT: INCARNATE WORD

• UIC has one final pre-conference game on its schedule, as the Flames complete their homestand next Thursday, Dec. 21, with a midweek matinee against Incarnate Word at Credit Union 1 Arena. The game, which will tip off at 1 p.m. (CT), will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and the free live Flames Network radio feed can be heard at UICFlames.com.

• Incarnate Word is 3-7 this season following an 80-57 loss at Rice on Wednesday night. The Cardinals, who will not play again prior to next week's visit to UIC, have one common opponent with the Flames — Jacksonville State. UIW and Jax State split two close games last month, with Incarnate Word winning 67-66 on Nov. 22 and JSU prevailing 67-65 four days later at an MTE (multi-team event) hosted by UTSA.

THE HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN

• Season and single-game tickets, as well as mini-plans and flex ticket plans for all UIC basketball home games may be purchased online through Ticketmaster or UICFlames.com/Tickets, by contacting the UIC Athletics Ticket Office (312-413-UIC1; athleticsticketing@uic.edu) or visiting the Credit Union 1 Arena box office on game night.

• Fans can also learn more about the benefits associated with purchasing season or single-game passes for the Courtside Club at Credit Union 1 Arena through the UIC Athletics Ticket Office or the arena box office.