CHICAGO – UIC junior guard/forward Mekhi Lowery (Bellwood, Ill./Oswego East/Towson) has been selected as the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Newcomer of the Week, the conference announced Monday. He is the first weekly conference award winner of the 2025-26 season for the Flames.
 
Lowery was named to the Geico Boardwalk Battle All-Tournament Team after averaging 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists with a .706 field-goal percentage (12-of-17) and two double-doubles as the Flames went 1-1 and finished third at the Daytona Beach, Fla., tournament. Lowery challenged for a triple-double in UIC's tournament opener against 2025 NCAA Tournament participant High Point on Nov. 20, finishing with career highs of 15 points (on 7-of-9 shooting) and seven assists, while gathering 10 rebounds. Two days later, he tallied 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds in the Flames' wire-to-wire victory over Southern Indiana.
 
For the season, Lowery ranks fourth in the MVC in rebounding (7.5 rpg.), 10th in assists (3.3 apg.) and 12th in assist/turnover ratio (1.82). He has scored in double figures four times in the Flames' first six outings.
 
UIC (4-2) winds up its four-game road swing Wednesday afternoon when the Flames travel to suburban Pittsburgh for a 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) matinee against former Horizon League opponent, Robert Morris. The Colonials are the second of three non-conference foes for UIC who played in the NCAA Tournament last season. Wednesday's game will be televised live on ESPN+, with live stats available through UICFlames.com.
 
The Flames then return home to Credit Union 1 Arena a week from Wednesday, Dec. 3, for their annual Education Day game against Arkansas Pine Bluff. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. (CT) and thousands of area schoolchildren are expected to be among those in attendance for the special late-morning game.
 
UIC basketball season and single-game tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster (Men's Basketball or Women's Basketball), UICFlames.com/Tickets or by contacting the UIC Athletics Ticket Office at (312) 413-UIC1 (8421) or athleticsticketing@uic.edu. UIC students are admitted free for all Flames' home games.
 
In addition, the US Solar Courtside Club is open for each game at Credit Union 1 Arena, with Club passes available for purchase through the UIC Athletics Ticket Office or at the Courtside Club entrance on game nights. Located just steps away from the action on the event level at Credit Union 1 Arena, the US Solar Courtside Club provides a premium experience for all UIC basketball fans, including enhanced food and beverage options. The Club also offers luxury seating and flat-screen televisions, and fans will have earlier access to the arena through a dedicated separate gate entrance, allowing them to get a quicker start on supporting their Flames each and every night.
 
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).