CHICAGO — UIC junior guard Ahmad Henderson II scored a team-high 14 points and junior guard/forward Mekhi Lowery added 13 points, five rebounds and three steals, but a spirited second-half rally by the Flames came up just short on Friday night as UIC fell to No. 4 (Mid-Major) and Missouri Valley Conference leader Belmont, 68-62 before a boisterous season-high crowd of 3,511 fans (including more than 1,300 students) at Credit Union 1 Arena.
Playing on an ESPN linear network (ESPNU) for the first time in six years, UIC (13-12, 8-6 MVC) trailed by 13 points with 5:30 to play, but used a 9-0 run to get within 62-58 on a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Elijah Crawford with 2:57 left (Crawford had six of his 11 points on the night during the rally). The Flames had another chance to draw closer, down 65-59 and with possession at the 1:46 mark, but missed a pair of three-point tries around a defensive stop before the Bruins (22-3, 12-2) converted three foul shots in the closing 30 seconds to keep the hosts at arm's length.
On defense, UIC held Belmont 16 points below its season scoring average, limiting the Bruins (who had scored 103 points in each of their previous two games) to just 30 points in the second half, including 1-of-7 shooting during the final five minutes.
The full box score and play-by-play recap from Friday's game against Belmont can be found here.
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- UIC was making its first appearance on an ESPN linear network since March 10, 2020, when ESPN televised the Flames' matchup with Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League Tournament championship game in Indianapolis. It was also the Flames' first home appearance on an ESPN linear network since Jan. 10, 2020, when ESPN2 carried a regular-season matchup between UIC and NKU at Credit Union 1 Arena.
- Friday's attendance of 3,511 was the largest home crowd for a UIC game since Feb. 3, 2024, when a total of 4,056 fans took in the Flames' contest against Southern Illinois at Credit Union 1 Arena.
- Friday also marked the third-largest UIC men's basketball crowd in the past 10 years, the only other higher-attended game coming on Nov. 11, 2022, when 3,550 fans watched UIC take on crosstown rival Loyola.
- This marked UIC's 10th loss by 10 points or fewer and/or in overtime, including all six MVC losses to date (the six conference defeats have come by an average of 5.5 points per game).
- Ahmad Henderson II scored in double figures for a team-high 20th time this season. It's also one off his career high of 21 double-digit games in a season, which he has posted each of his first two years at the collegiate level.
- Mekhi Lowery registered his 11th double-digit scoring game of the season.
- Belmont was the 12th UIC opponent (out of 23 Division I foes this season) to be ranked or receiving votes in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll, and the seventh to be ranked in the top 10.
- The Bruins are 7-0 all-time against the Flames (3-0 in Chicago), although five of the seven series games (including the past three) have been decided by single digits.
UP NEXT: DRAKE
UIC returns to the hardwood next Thursday, Feb. 12, when it travels to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on Drake. Tipoff from the Knapp Center is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) with the game airing on The Valley on ESPN package, which includes ESPN+.
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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