Heading into the final stretch before this year’s Missouri Valley Conference Arch Madness Tournament in St. Louis, Missouri, the UIC Flames are ranked fifth on the conference leaderboard. The Flames (15-11, 8-8 MVC) rounded out last week with two conference rematches, splitting the two games to remain .500 in conference play.
On Tuesday, the Murray State Racers avenged their earlier season loss to the Flames, 63-53. Despite this season’s series between the two teams tied at 1-1, the rematch marked the programs’ seventh matchup and the Racer’s fifth win.
Modestas Kancleris posted his second double-double of the season, posting 12 points with a 100% field goal percentage. His performance, however, was not enough to push the Flames over the edge against the Racers, who held them to their lowest-scoring game of the season. The Flames’ previously low was 55 against East Carolina.
On Sunday, the Flames won their second consecutive game against the Missouri State Bears, 63-58. Despite blowing a substantial lead early in Sunday’s second half, the Flames put up six unanswered points in a row to secure the win.
Flames guard and former Bear Tyem Freeman sank one of just two shots for UIC in Sunday’s last 10 minutes of play. Freeman shot a perfect game from the free throw line, a trend among multiple Flames during the game. As a team, they went 10 of 13 from the free throw line, which put them ahead of the Bears in the second half, despite an inconsistent scoring performance in the final 20 minutes of play.
The Flames tip off for another conference rematch against the Drake Bulldogs on Wednesday night.
