CHICAGO (Nov. 4, 2024) – The UIC women's basketball team (0-0) opens the 2024-25 season Tuesday night, home at Credit Union Arena, facing off against Cincinnati (0-0) in a non-conference battle on the hardwood at 7 p.m. (CT).
 
The game will be available to stream on ESPN+, listened to on the Flames Network and live stats will be available at UICFlames.com.
 
Fans attending are encouraged to purchase their tickets online through Ticketmaster and UICFlames.com/Tickets, as well as through the UIC Athletics Ticket Office (312-413-UIC1) or by visiting the Credit Union 1 Arena box office on game day. Doors open an hour before first tip.
 
SCOUTING CINCINNATI
 

• This will be the fourth time the Flames and Bearcats are set to battle it out on the hardwood. Cincinnati has a 2-1 lead on the overall series. The Flames host the Bearcats for the first time since their first meet-up on Jan. 4, 1995.
• After Cincinnati won the first two meetings, the Flames defeated the Bearcats on the road on Dec. 4, 2022, 66-58. Senior Ky Dempsey Toney (Franklin, NJ/ Franklin) scored 17 points in 25 minutes off the bench. Graduate student Jaida McCloud (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win.
• The Bearcats are being led by second year head coach Katrina Merriweather. In their first season in the Big 12, finishing the season 14-18 overall and 5-13 in conference play. Cincinnati was ranked 13^th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll on Oct. 3.
• The Bearcats returns its top scorers and rebounders in Jillian Hayes. The fifth year forward scored 12.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 32 games a season ago.

 
KEY FLAMES RETURNERS

• Graduate student forward Keimari Rimmer (Chicago, Ill./Proviso East/DePaul) was selected to the 2024-25 Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference Second Team on Oct. 1. The three-time MVC Newcomer of the Week played in all 34 games and starting in 31 of them. She ranked second on the team in scoring (10.7 ppg) and led the team in steals with 55.
• A key component off the bench for the Flames, senior Makiyah Williams (Chicago, Ill./Trinity/ Marquette) was named to the All-MVC Third Team a season ago and a member of the All-Newcomer Team. She averaged a team-high 12.9 points per game, scoring in double figures in 22 games last season.
• Set to reach higher in the record books is McCloud, who ranks ninth all-time in program history in scoring with 1,352 points.
• Graduate student Kristian Young (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) also continues to rise in the record books, ranking fourth all-time in assists (431) and ninth all-time in steals (203).

NEW FLAMES FACES

• Senior Arin Freeman (Little Rock, Ark./ Little Rock North/Coastal Carolina) is set to make her mark after three successful seasons at Coastal Carolina. The guard led the Chanticleers in assists each season, with 99 assists during the 2023-24 season. She finished her time at Coastal Carolina averaging 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 87 contests.
• Freshman Chantrel, "TuTu," Clayton (St. Louis, Mo./Vashon) left her mark at Vashon High School in St. Louis, Mo. and will be making her collegiate debut at UIC. Clayton was instrumental in leading the Wolverines first-ever girls basketball championship run in 2023 (27-5 record) and earned McDonald's All-American nomination her senior season a year ago.
• After three seasons at University of Missouri – St. Louis, Jaylsa Stokes (Joliet, Ill./ Joliet Central/UMSL) moves closer to home for her senior season, Stokes averaged 14.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game with a .354 three-point percentage in three seasons with the Tritons. She also emerged as the Tritons' leading scorer (and among the top three in the Great Lakes Valley Conference) and became an everyday starter during her final two seasons, averaging more than 17 points per game both years, and she was a two-time All-GLVC selection.

 
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Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC student-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective.
 
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For more information on UIC women's basketball, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_WBB and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_wbb and @uicflames).
 
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