CHICAGO (July 12, 2024) – The first piece of the 2024-25 UIC men's basketball schedule puzzle fell into place Friday morning when the Flames learned they will face defending Sun Belt Conference Tournament champion and NCAA Tournament second-round participant James Madison to open the inaugural Boardwalk Battle at 11 a.m. (ET) Nov. 21 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida.
 
UIC and James Madison will be meeting for the first time on the hardwood. Both schools will be led by first-year head coaches, with the Flames piloted by former UAB head coach and veteran Power Five conference assistant Rob Ehsan and the Dukes by former Morehead State skipper Preston Spradlin. UIC will sport a fresh, new look this season with 11 newcomers on the roster, including eight NCAA Division I transfers, along with a pair of returning starters in senior forward Filip Skobalj (Belgrade, Serbia/Don Bosco-Schule Rostock) and senior guard Ethan Pickett (Pensacola, Fla./Cherokee).
 
"We're thrilled to be competing in the inaugural Boardwalk Battle this November in Daytona," Ehsan said. "Events like these present a tremendous opportunity to face top competition and see a number of different players and styles of play that will really benefit us during the Missouri Valley Conference season. James Madison is going to be a great test for us on day one and I know our team is excited for the challenge. We look forward to having many of our UIC alums in Florida join us in supporting our Flames at what should be an amazing tournament."
 
UIC and JMU are two of the eight teams in this year's tournament, joining East Carolina, Jacksonville State, La Salle, Stetson, Toledo and UC San Diego. The event will take place from Nov. 21-23 in a bracket-style format with each school guaranteed to play three games. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster or may be purchased on the day of competition at the Ocean Center box office. Additional information can be found on the official tournament website, boardwalkbattle.net, or through the event's official social media accounts on X (@boardwalkbattle) and Instagram (@boardwalk_battle).
 
The Flames have previously faced three other participants in this year's Boardwalk Battle. Most recently, UIC swept a home-and-home series with Jacksonville State, winning 67-60 on Nov. 14, 2022, at Credit Union 1 Arena, and 55-49 on Dec. 8, 2023, in Jacksonville, Alabama. UIC is also 5-2 all-time against Toledo, with their last meeting on Dec. 29, 2012 (a 74-55 victory for the homestanding Rockets). The Flames dropped their only prior matchup against La Salle, an 83-77 verdict on Jan. 5, 1995, in Philadelphia.
 
UIC will be making its first visit to the state of Florida since Dec. 1-2, 2019, when it played the final two rounds of the Boca Raton Beach Classic, narrowly falling to host FAU on a last-second free throw (71-70) and defeating San Diego (89-83).
 
Fans are strongly encouraged to support NIL opportunities for UIC scholar-athletes through contributions to The Chicago Collective. In addition, season tickets for the 2024-25 Flames' men's basketball campaign will go on sale Monday through 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).