CHICAGO — Sophomore guard Rashund Washington Jr. rang up a game-high 19 points and a career high-tying 12 rebounds and UIC rode a dominant defensive effort in the second half to a 79-56 win over Robert Morris Friday night on Homecoming at Credit Union 1 Arena. The Flames locked down the Colonials over the final 20 minutes, holding the visitors to just 24 points while forcing 13 RMU turnovers (10 coming on UIC steals).
Senior guard Ahmad Henderson II scored 16 points and both he and Washington connected on 3-of-4 three-pointers. Washington also came up with back-to-back dunks, including a massive putback slam, early in the second half, that brought the crowd to its feet and highlighted a 22-4 Flames run to start the half.
Graduate student guard Benny Gealer chipped in 11 points and a game-high six assists while redshirt junior forward Lucas Scroggins added 10 points for UIC (2-0).
The full box score and play-by-play recap from Friday's win over Robert Morris can be found here.
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UIC improves to 6-1 all-time against Robert Morris, including a 5-0 record at Credit Union 1 Arena.
- Friday's margin was the largest for either team in the abbreviated series (both teams had previously won by 14 points, including UIC's 67-53 win on Jan. 15, 2021, in Chicago).
- Henderson appeared in his 100th career game, making his 59th start — of those, he has played in 68 games (33 starts) at UIC.
- Washington recorded his fourth career double-double and first since Feb. 21, 2026 (13 points/12 rebounds vs. Valparaiso at Credit Union 1 Arena).
- That Valpo game also was one of two other times Washington had 12 rebounds in a game besides Friday night — the first was Feb. 3, 2026, at Murray State.
- With Gealer and Scroggins reaching double figures, seven different UIC players have topped the 10-point mark in the Flames' first two games this year.
- UIC is 12-0 in the Rob Ehsan era when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points, including both games this season.
UP NEXT: UNC GREENSBORO
It's a quick turnaround for UIC as the Flames cap off their season-opening homestand Monday with a 6 p.m. (CT) contest against UNC Greensboro at Credit Union 1 Arena. Monday's game will be Academic Achievement Night for UIC Athletics, and tickets are still on sale through Ticketmaster and the arena box office, while ESPN+ will broadcast the contest live. This will mark just the second all-time meeting between UIC and UNCG — in the championship game of the 2023 Baha Mar Hoops Classic in the Bahamas, the Spartans edged the Flames, 58-57 on a pair of last-second foul shots.
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
Fans can purchase UIC basketball tickets (single-game or season packages) by going online through Ticketmaster or by contacting the UIC Athletics Ticket Office at (312) 413-UIC1 (8421) or athleticsticketing@uic.edu. Once again this season, all UIC students are admitted FREE to all home games with their student ID.
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).
Tweet #ChicagosCollegeTeam
