CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — UIC graduate student forward Abdul Momoh scored a career-high 21 points on a perfect 9-of-9 shooting, while sophomore guard Elijah Crawford added career highs of 14 points and nine assists as the Flames (8-10, 3-4 MVC) picked up their second win over a top-10 mid-major opponent in just over 72 hours with a 69-61 Missouri Valley Conference victory at No. 10 Northern Iowa on Tuesday night at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It was UIC's first win in Cedar Falls since Feb. 23, 2008, and it came at the expense of a UNI squad (12-6, 4-3) that came into Tuesday's game leading the nation in scoring defense (59.5 ppg.).
Momoh's 9-of-9 showing was the best shooting night by a UIC player since at least the 2000-01 season, with further research pending. Along with Momoh and Crawford, junior guard Mekhi Lowery chipped in 14 points, all in the second half, including seven in the final eight minutes. As a team, UIC shot 52.8 percent from the field (its best against a Division I opponent this year), including 62.5 percent in the second half and committed a season-low six turnovers.
The full box score and play-by-play recap from Tuesday's win at UNI can be found here.
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UIC snaps a three-game series losing streak against UNI, earning its first win against the Panthers since Feb. 11, 2024 (71-65 at Credit Union 1 Arena) and its third all-time in Cedar Falls, as well as its first since Feb. 23, 2008 (70-58 at the McLeod Center, the only other time the Flames have won in the Panthers' arena that opened in 2006 - UIC's other road win at UNI came on Jan. 25, 1986, by a 92-87 score),
- Tuesday was the fifth win over a ranked mid-major opponent in head coach Rob Ehsan's two seasons at UIC, and fourth against a top-10 mid-major program.
- UIC actually trailed at halftime for the first time in seven conference games this season and won for the first time this season when behind at the break (32-29 on Tuesday).
- UIC held UNI to an opponent season-low .125 three-point percentage (3-of-24), including 0-of-12 in the second half.
- Momoh's 21 points topped his previous career high of 19 points at Chicago State on Feb. 20, 2025, when he was playing for Central Connecticut State. It was Momoh's sixth double-figure scoring game this year and fifth in his last six outings.
- While a handful of UIC players in the past quarter century have gone 8-of-8 from the field in a game, no UIC player since 2000-01 has duplicated Momoh's 9-of-9 performance from Tuesday night (with additional research pending).Â
- Crawford's 14 points surpassed his previous career high of 13 points from the Nov. 3 season-opening win over Detroit Mercy (and his fourth double-digit game this season, as well as third in a row), while his nine assists eclipsed his previous career best of six assists on Jan. 4 at Valparaiso. The nine assists were also the most by a UIC player this season.
- Lowery posted his ninth double-digit scoring game this year and first since Dec. 29 against Illinois Tech.
UP NEXT: DRAKE
The Flames return home Saturday to face Drake at 2 p.m. (CT) on what will be '80s Day at Credit Union 1 Arena. UIC students are admitted free for all Flames' home games and UIC faculty and staff can obtain up to nine complimentary tickets for Saturday's game vs. Drake by showing their University ID at the arena box office on game day.
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!
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.
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
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).
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