
UIC and UAB square off in NIT matchup
UAB Blazers (16-15, 7-12 AAC) at UIC Flames (14-17, 11-11 MVC)
Chicago; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: UIC and UAB play in the National Invitation Tournament.
The Flames' record in MVC play is 11-11, and their record is 3-6 in non-conference play. UIC scores 66.8 points and has outscored opponents by 2.7 points per game.
The Blazers' record in AAC play is 7-12. UAB is 4-0 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
UIC makes 43.1% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.1 percentage points higher than UAB has allowed to its opponents (39.0%). UAB averages 8.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.6 more made shots on average than the 5.5 per game UIC gives up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Makiyah Williams is scoring 9.7 points per game with 3.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists for the Flames. Keke Rimmer is averaging 12.7 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 54.4% over the last 10 games.
Jade Weathersby is averaging 11.2 points and 9.4 rebounds for the Blazers. Tracey Bershers is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flames: 5-5, averaging 66.3 points, 31.3 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 8.8 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 40.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 62.6 points per game.
Blazers: 2-8, averaging 62.2 points, 29.9 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 7.0 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 38.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.8 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Two kickoff times announced for Tennessee football in 2025
Tennessee's 2025 football season will kick off Aug. 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Vols will face Syracuse in their season opener. The contest is slated for noon EDT and will be televised by ABC. Two additional kickoff times were announced for Tennessee during the 2025 regular-season. Tennessee will host UAB for a nonconference game on Sept. 20 at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff between the Vols and Blazers is slated for 12:45 p.m. EDT and will be televised by SEC Network. Tennessee leads the football series, 5-0, all time against UAB, dating to Nov. 7, 1998. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle The Vols will also host New Mexico State on Nov. 15 at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff between Tennessee and the Aggies is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. EDT and will also be televised by SEC Network. 2025 will mark the first meeting between Tennessee and New Mexico State. Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders Made Transfer Earn Number—and it Paid Off
Deion Sanders Made Transfer Earn Number—and it Paid Off originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders offers something more foundational compared to other college coaches. An NFL-experienced staff and a culture built on competition. It's a big reason why everything at Colorado must be earned. When LaJohntay Wester wanted to get No. 1 last year, he earn it from Sanders, who doesn't give out his best jersey to anyone. Advertisement Sanders' message has been clear to all his players. Show up and be the best you can at all times. Tulsa transfer wide receiver Joseph Williams recently went on the record about being courted by Coach Prime while being committed to Utah. The 2024 AAC Freshman of the Year told the Reach The People Media's Darius Sanders there was another school willing to give him No. 8. But Coach Prime explained Williams it's that easy, it's not worth it. 'I'm not going to say the school, but a school made a phone call when I told them I wanted No. 8. He said, 'Yeah, reserve the number until I say otherwise,'' Williams said. 'But Coach Prime said I had to come in and earn it. That really got me. He's not going to give me what I want just because I want it. I have to earn everything. My jersey number, things I need, things I want.' Advertisement For Williams, Sanders' basis for earning the number was eye-opening. Related: Deion Sanders' Cryptic Three-Word Message Comes After Publicizing Health Setbacks 'My whole life, we didn't live the best, we struggled a little bit,' Williams said. 'My mom always taught me never take the easy way out. If you take the easy way out, nothing good is gonna come out of it. Hearing Coach Prime say that, all I heard was my mom—'No easy way outs.' That was super big for me.' Related: Lil Wayne Sends Clear Message to Deion Sanders in Tha Carter VI Sanders' message isn't for everyone. Especially with NIL deals being offered in massive amounts. But Williams is a natural fit for his mindset. He brings character to a deep WR room ready to catch passes from either Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter or five-star Julian 'JuJu' Lewis. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.


USA Today
05-06-2025
- USA Today
Yaxel Lendeborg discusses Michigan basketball roster, sets Final Four goal for 2025
Yaxel Lendeborg discusses Michigan basketball roster, sets Final Four goal for 2025 Yaxel Lendeborg isn't wasting any time getting acclimated to Michigan basketball. The No. 1 player in the transfer portal had committed to the Wolverines earlier in the process, despite still appearing to be NBA-bound as he departed UAB. Yet, he ended up withdrawing and will play in Ann Arbor for one season after all. As it turns out, he already has a pretty good idea of what the roster looks like, what it can do, and how it can help him improve as a player. "I feel like I have a pretty good knowledge of it right now," Lendeborg told Brian Boesch on the Defend the Block Podcast. "I know our bigs are really athletic, really long shot blockers. A lot of us are pretty good rebounders, so it's going to be a little bit of a battle on the boards. "We have Elliot Cadeau, who's -- I think they said, the best passer, the best passer in college basketball, which is amazing as well. Something that I could probably try to take from him, just see what he sees on the floor, something to learn about. And, we have a lot of good shooters like Nimari Burnett. I think they said he shot 45 percent, which is ridiculous. "We just got Trey (McKenney), (Mr.) Basketball -- you know, that's great. I haven't looked into many of the other guys as much, but I know that we have a good roster formulated, and we have a lot of length, which is something great as well." Coming from UAB, Lendeborg isn't used to his team having high and lofty expectations. But the Wolverines are coming off a Big Ten Tournament championship and a Sweet 16 run. Now, those expectations are risin,g and the program is aiming higher. With Lendeborg on the roster, that helps elevate the program, as well. And he's not shying away from heightened prospects when it comes to what the maize and blue can do in 2025-26. "Oh, yeah. I'm super excited," Lendeborg said. "You know, "I feel like it's giving me more of a chip on my shoulder to try to be the best that I can be, just not let the fans down, not let the people that support us down, you know. So I am super excited. I'm happy to get up to that stage. I made a promise as well that I want to at least take us to the Final Four. So, I'm going to do whatever I can to get us there." Lendeborg joins transfers Cadeau, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara, as well as freshmen McKenney, Winters Grady, and Patrick Liburd as new faces who will reshape the Michigan basketball roster in 2025-26.