CARBONDALE, ILL. – The UIC men's basketball team (10-15, 2-12 MVC) heads back on the road this week for two consecutive contests, with the first coming Wednesday night in Carbondale, Ill against Southern Illinois (18-7, 10-4 MVC). The Flames and Salukis will tip off at 7:00 p.m. CT from the Banterra Center.
 
MATCHUP BREAKDOWN
 

• The Flames and Salukis will matchup Wednesday for the 11^th time in series history, with the Saluki's holding a 6-4 record over UIC in the previous 10 meetings.
• The two haven't seen one another in competition since 2014, a neutral -site game in Kent, Ohio as part of a multi-team event hosted by Kent State. The Salukis won that contest by a  67-60 final score.
• Southern Illinois currently sits in a tie atop the Missouri Valley Conference with Drake, with both teams boasting 10-4 conference records.
• The Salukis get the job done on the defensive side, as they rank ninth in the conference in total offense, averaging only 66.68 ppg. On the defensive side, they rank first in the conference, allowing opponents less than 61 points per game.

 
CAREER-HIGH CLAY
 

• Steven Clay had a breakthrough game in UIC's 70-61 victory over Evansville on Wednesday night, netting 17 points and five rebounds in 28 minutes played, all three new career-best marks.

 
BLOCK PARTY
 

• UIC ranks first in the Missouri Valley Conference with 118 blocked shots this season, for an average of 4.72 per game.

 
GAME TIME ANNOUNCED
 

• UIC announced Monday that Feb. 19 scheduled home game against Valparaiso will take place at 2:00 p.m. CT.
• The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, as well as the Flames Network.

 
Wednesday night's game against Southern Illinois will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Noah Reed and Mike Trude on the call. The Flames Network will also be broadcasting live from the Banterra Center, with the Voice of the Flames Jonathan Hood, and Flames Hall of Famer Kenny Williams on the audio call. Both broadcasts are accessible through the links at the top of this release, or on the men's basketball schedule page.