CHICAGO (April 26, 2024) – UIC head men's basketball coach Rob Ehsan added another piece to the Flames' 2024-25 roster on Friday, announcing that forward Saša Ciani (Nova Gorica, Slovenia/Koder School/Xavier) will transfer to UIC for the upcoming season. Ciani (name pronounced SAH-shuh CHAH-nee) is the third addition to the Flames' program this week, joining guards Ahmad Henderson II (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice/Niagara) and Joshua Reaves (Hamden, Conn./South Kent School/Mount St. Mary's), who made similar transfer announcements on Tuesday.
 
"Sasa is a skilled big with great versatility," Ehsan said. "He's got a diverse offensive toolkit and is a defensive presence, particularly as a great rebounder. Add to that the extensive international experience he's gained, as well as the meaningful minutes he played in the BIG EAST last year, and it's clear he can be a valuable contributor for us next season and beyond."
 
Ciani is a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward who will have three seasons of eligibility at UIC after playing his freshman year at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. While with the Musketeers in the BIG EAST Conference, Ciani appeared in 31 games (starting five times), averaging 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game and helping Xavier earn a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). He collected seven points, five rebounds and five assists at eventual NIT champion Seton Hall on Feb. 14, grabbed a season-high seven rebounds in a Jan. 31 win over St. John's and collected seven points, six rebounds and four assists in a victory over crosstown rival Cincinnati on Dec. 9. Ciani also played in four games against last year's NCAA national championship game participants (UConn and Purdue), collecting eight points and 10 rebounds, including four points and five rebounds in a Nov. 13 matchup at Purdue.
 
Along with a year at the U.S. college level, Ciani has suited up for several club teams in Europe, as well as for the Slovenia national and age-group teams.
 
In 2022-23, he played for Košarkarski klub Cedevita Olimpija (translated to English is Cedevita Olimpija Basketball Club), which is commonly referred to as KK Cedevita Olimpija, or simply Olimpija (a club based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, that competes in the ABA League First Division). He also averaged 11.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks, while shooting 65 percent from the field, while on loan to Cedevita Junior competing in the First Croatian League in Zagreb, Croatia.
 
Ciani represented Slovenia at the Under-20 European Championships in 2022 (12.4 ppg., 8.6 rpg. in seven games) and 2023 (12.0 ppg., 8.6 rpg., 1.4 apg. in seven games). He also made his debut with the Slovenian National Team in August 2022 in an exhibition against the Netherlands before playing in two games for Slovenia at the 2023 FIBA World Cup European qualifiers, averaging 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. One of his teammates on that 2023 Slovenian National Team was NBA All-Star Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.
 
Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC student-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective. In addition, season ticket deposits for the 2024-25 Flames' men's basketball campaign are currently being accepted online through Ticketmaster or by contacting the UIC Athletics Ticket Office (312.413.8421; athleticsticketing@uic.edu).
 
For more information on UIC men's basketball, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_MBB and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_mbb and @uicflames).