CHICAGO (April 23, 2026) – UIC head men's basketball coach Rob Ehsan announced the first addition via the transfer portal to the 2026-27 Flames' roster on Thursday with the signing of redshirt junior guard Gabe Cupps (Dayton, Ohio/Centerville/Indiana/Ohio State). Cupps is also the third newcomer to sign with UIC for next season, alongside a pair of incoming freshmen in forward Dikembe Shaw and guard Elijah Garrett.
 
"Gabe is everything you want in a point guard," Ehsan said. "He's a natural leader who elevates the guys around him and sets the tone every day. He's dynamic with the ball in his hands, can create his own shot and make plays for others off the dribble, and he competes on every possession. What really stands out is his toughness on the defensive end at the point of attack — he takes pride in that. Gabe is the kind of player who impacts winning on both sides of the floor."
 
Cupps is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound point guard who spent last year at Ohio State after starting his collegiate career at Indiana. During his two-plus seasons at the two Big Ten Conference institutions (he missed all but four games at Indiana in 2024-25 with a lower body injury), Cupps played in 70 games, starting 22 times, all during his rookie year at IU, when he was one of five Big Ten freshmen to make at least 20 starts during that 2023-24 season. He logged 16.3 minutes per game at the college level, averaging 2.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists a contest, while posting career bests during his freshman season at Indiana (2.6 ppg., 1.8 rpg., 1.2 apg., .359 3FG%). Last year at OSU, Cupps was an important contributor off the bench for a Buckeyes' squad that earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament.
 
A graduate of Centerville High School, Cupps was a four-star recruit by all major services and was ranked in the top 100 nationally in the Class of 2023 by ESPN, eventually choosing Indiana over offers from Ohio State, Michigan and Stanford, among others. He averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game during his prep career, including a career-high 15.4 ppg., as a senior and 6.8 apg. as a junior.
 
Cupps was named Ohio Mr. Basketball in both 2022 (Associated Press and Ohio coaches' association) and 2023 (coaches), leading Centerville to a combined 95-20 record, including a 45-game winning streak during his sophomore and junior seasons. He was also instrumental in helping the Elks win the 2021 Ohio Division I state title (the first in school history), as well as a state runner-up finish the following year and a state semifinal appearance during his senior season.
 
Cupps also competed at the AAU level for Cincinnati-based Midwest Basketball Club within the adidas 3-Stripes Select Basketball (3SSB) circuit. One of his teammates on that squad was current Los Angeles Lakers' guard Bronny James, son of NBA great LeBron James.
 
UIC is coming off a 19-win season and a third-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference, capped off by a trip to the 2026 NIT (National Invitation Tournament), the school's first berth in that elite event since 2003, and the Flames' first-ever appearance in the MVC Tournament championship game. UIC also posted its highest overall KenPom rating since 2004 (No. 110) and highest defensive efficiency mark since 2008 (No. 91), along with its highest-ever NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) ranking at No. 115. What's more, during Ehsan's first two years at UIC, the Flames have collected eight Quad 1 & 2 wins, the second-most in the MVC, as well as six wins over teams ranked in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll (four against top-10 squads).
 
UIC is expected to return numerous key contributors next season, including 2026 All-MVC Freshman Team guard Andy Johnson and two other rising young standouts who developed significantly during their freshman years in guard Rashund Washington Jr. and forward Jayce Nathaniel. The Flames will also benefit from critical veteran leadership through a pair of senior starters in guard Ahmad Henderson II and guard/forward Mekhi Lowery.

Details on season ticket packages for the 2026-27 Flames' men's basketball campaign will be available in the coming weeks. Further details will be forthcoming via the UIC Athletics Ticket Office, which can be reached by phone (312.413.8421) or e-mail (athleticsticketing@uic.edu).
 
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).