CHICAGO — UIC sophomore guard Elijah Crawford came up with a massive steal and layup with 1.8 seconds to play, lifting the Flames to a heartstopping 76-74 Missouri Valley Conference win over Indiana State before a raucous crowd of 1,440 fans (including more than 700 UIC students) on Tuesday night at Credit Union 1 Arena. With the victory, the Flames (12-10, 7-4 MVC) extend their winning streak to seven games (all against conference opponents), their longest in eight years, and pick up their second-ever win over the Sycamores and first since 2001.
Crawford finished with 12 points and six assists, scoring the final six points of the game for UIC on a baseline floater (0:38), two free throws (0:07) and the decisive steal and layup (:01.8). It would end up being the Flames' first buzzer-beating victory since Jan. 22, 2021, when Michael Diggins converted a tip-in at the horn for a 67-66 win at Youngstown State.
Graduate student guard Josiah Hammons came off the bench to lead a season-high six UIC scorers in double figures with 13 points, while junior guard Ahmad Henderson II matched Crawford's output with 12 points of his own, all in the second half. Freshman guard Rashund Washington Jr. chipped in 11 points, while junior guard/forward Mekhi Lowery and redshirt freshman forward Jayce Nathaniel both finished with 10 points and a team-high five rebounds.
The full box score and play-by-play recap from Tuesday's win over Indiana State can be found here.
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COACH'S COMMENTS
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
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BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- This was UIC's first buzzer-beating victory since Jan. 22, 2021, when Michael Diggins converted a tip-in at the horn for a 67-66 win at Youngstown State.
- UIC's seven-game winning streak is its longest since Jan. 18-Feb. 8, 2018, when the Flames won seven in a row, coincidentally also against conference opposition when they were playing in the Horizon League.
- The Flames have led at halftime in 10 of their 11 MVC games this season (exception was Jan. 13 at UNI, when they trailed 32-29, but came back to win, 69-61).
- UIC earns its second-ever win over Indiana State in eight career meetings, and first since winning their inaugural matchup, 70-54 on Nov. 18, 2001, also at Credit Union 1 Arena.
- The last three games between UIC and Indiana State in Chicago have been decided by six points or fewer (Sycamores winning 89-83 in 2024 and 88-83 in 2025, UIC prevailing 76-74 on Tuesday night).
- The Flames collected 14 steals in Tuesday's win, tying their second-highest total against a Division I opponent this season (15 vs. Evansville on Jan. 20; 14 at UNI on Jan. 13). UIC had a season-high 17 steals on Nov. 11 against St. Francis (Ill.).
- UIC had a season-high six double-digit scorers against Indiana State, one more than its five against Detroit Mercy (Nov. 3), High Point (Nov. 20) and Illinois Tech (Dec. 29). The last time the Flames had six players score in double figures was Dec. 20, 2024, in a 79-68 win at Seattle U.
UP NEXT: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
UIC begins the second of a pair of two-game MVC road swings this season when it travels to Carbondale, Ill., on Saturday for a 6 p.m. (CT) meeting with Southern Illinois. Saturday's game will be televised live on ESPN+ with live stats available at UICFlames.com.
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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