CHICAGO (March 15, 2026) – There's still more action left in the 2025-26 season for the UIC men's basketball program, as the Flames got the news they were hoping for Sunday night when they were selected for an at-large berth into the 2026 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). UIC, which will be making its second-ever trip to the NIT and first in 23 years, has been placed into the Albuquerque Region of this year's 32-team field and will tip off tournament play at 10 p.m. (CT) Wednesday against second-seeded California at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif. The game, which will the first-ever meeting between the Flames and Golden Bears, will be televised live to a national audience on ESPN2.
 
"We're incredibly proud and excited to be chosen for this year's NIT," said second-year UIC head coach Rob Ehsan. "It's a testament to all the hard work our guys put in this season and it's a chance to take the next step in our journey growing and building our program. Cal is a very talented team and it will be a challenge for our guys, but we're looking forward to the opportunity to compete and represent UIC on the national stage."
 
UIC made its only prior NIT appearance in 2003, falling in the first round at Western Michigan, 63-62. That game was part of a six-year stretch that also saw the Flames compete in the NCAA Tournament three times (1998, 2002, 2004). UIC's last postseason tournament appearance of any kind came in 2018, when it reached the championship game of the College Insider Tournament (CIT) with victories over Saint Francis (Pa.), Austin Peay and Liberty before dropping a narrow 76-71 decision in the title game at Northern Colorado.
 
UIC (19-15, 12-8 MVC) comes into Wednesday's NIT opener having won 14 of its last 19 games and finishing in a tie for third place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings — its best conference placement and most conference wins since 2017-18 when it was a member of the Horizon League. The Flames then advanced to the championship game of the MVC Tournament (aka "Arch Madness") for the first time since joining the conference four years ago (and first in any conference since the 2020 Horizon League final), defeating Murray State (92-79) and Drake (72-51) before falling to UNI (84-69) in the title game.
 
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).