UIC and UAB square off in NIT matchup
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.
___
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Atlanta could be hot stuff for third try at NHL expansion with new arena deal
Three times could be the charm for the National Hockey League to put another team in Atlanta. Failed history won't be a deterrent, listening to backers of a proposed new arena in Forsyth County. After the Flames and Thrashers failed to draw consistently at two downtown facilities — the Omni and Philips Arena, respectively — the county, about a 45-minute drive northeast of Atlanta and business partners went through numerous procedural hoops this week to clear a $3 billion US project called The Gathering, which would feature an 18,500-seat rink. The deal only commits to using taxpayer funds if the NHL grants an expansion team. The NHL has been coy on expansion, but has carried a torch for the highly populated, TV-ratings-rich region since the Flames first arrived in 1972. If this project makes the rink the crown jewel of a new entertainment district, where the other two didn't, it will be worth the trip out of town. In Atlanta's favour, despite calls in Canada to give Quebec City or a second Toronto franchise a shot, is the impressive winning streak that two Deep South teams have been on. The Florida Panthers are chasing a second straight Stanley Cup in their third appearance in the final after the Tampa Bay Lightning won back-to-back in 2020 and 2021. The league's two most-recent additions, Las Vegas and Seattle, have been a success with the Golden Knights bringing the Cup to the desert in 2023. Vernon Krause, who owns a chain of car dealerships and fronts The Gathering, told local media he spoke with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Monday and they'll meet again in the early summer. Former Maple Leafs GM reveals why team passed on drafting Joe Sakic Colorado Avalanche's Cale Makar wins second Norris Trophy as NHL's top defenceman Atlanta, or another entry, would alter the balance of the 32-team league's two conferences, thus another would eventually be needed in the West. A city long thought to be an expansion favourite is Houston, with its natural sports rivalry with Dallas and a long hockey history with minor pro teams and the World Hockey Association's Aeros. The league already has met with a group headed by Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin, who owns a share of the English Premier League club Everton. The Toyota Center in Houston, home of the NBA Rockets, can seat 17,800 for hockey. lhornby@ X: @sunhornby
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
4 days ago
- Yahoo
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Does Kirill Zarubin have a future in Calgary's crease?
If the Calgary Flames had waited any longer, they weren't going to get their guy. That was the feedback that Jordan Sigalet, the Flames director of goaltending, received from his counterparts around the league after selecting Russian netminder Kirill Zarubin with the No. 84 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. 'You get the text messages right after — 'Screw you, we were taking him next!'' Sigalet said with a chuckle. 'So then you feel kind of relieved. 'There were a lot of people that were hoping he was going to slip to the fourth round. I've heard a couple teams were going to take him with their next pick in the third round. So I think we got him at the right time. 'We think we have a really, really good goalie with a bright future ahead of him.' And now comes the patience part. It's worth noting that the Flames have not often drafted a twine-minder as early as the third round, especially not of late, so they clearly believe that Zarubin has major upside. Many consider him to be Calgary's most promising puck-stopping prospect, a candidate to someday be Dustin Wolf's sidekick/understudy at Scotia Place, but even the most optimistic projections would put him a few years away. Adding to the intrigue is that there's a measure of mystery with this 19-year-old masked man. Flames fans have been scouring social media for highlight clips, but those can be hard to find. While Zarubin is studying English, a sign he is serious about a sooner-than-later move to North America, he isn't ready for interview requests just yet. With the current advisories against travel to Russia, Sigalet wasn't able to attend any of his games this winter with AKM Tula in the junior-level MHL, although he didn't miss a single start on the online stream. Since Zarubin will remain with the same organization for another season, it will be a similar setup in the coming months. If he is able to secure a visitor visa, Zarubin hopes to attend development camp this summer. That would mark his first trip to Calgary and he'd likely be surprised by how many folks will show up to watch him practise with the other future pieces. 'His maturity, both physically and mentally, it's far beyond his age,' Sigalet said of Zarubin, who is 6-foot-3, roughly 200 pounds and turns 20 in September. 'He's big. He's smart. He's very, very patient. And he has mature details for a 19-year-old. He's very calm, very composed. But when he has to get uncomfortable, he can move. He can get to his spots. 'I talk to him every other day on WhatsApp and he's very accountable, too. If I write him about his game and tell him he had a good game, it's always, 'No, I could be better. I could have stopped one of those.' 'He played a little bit less this year, just because their 20-year-old, (Ilya) Kanarsky, was back. Kirill played more last year because that kid was hurt. But when he did play, he was outstanding and just got better as the season went on.' That didn't go unnoticed. As Zarubin was in the midst of posting a 12-9 record, 2.34 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in 21 appearances with AKM Tula, Sigalet's phone continued to buzz — not with curses from his counterparts but rather with reach-outs from recruiters wondering about his plans for the 2025-26 campaign. While at least one powerhouse college program had Zarubin earmarked as a could-be starter, there were concerns that he would struggle with classes due to the language barrier. The Youngstown Phantoms called his name in the USHL's draft this spring, but he has instead inked an extension at home. Flames fans should not view that as negative news, since Russia is the leading country for developing future crease stars. Some of the best puck-stoppers on the planet — guys like Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy — honed their skills for multiple seasons in the MHL. Leonid Grishukevich, the goaltending coach for AKM Tula, had plenty of praise for Zarubin. In a text message conversation, he described him as an 'excellent student.' Listing off some of his strengths, he mentioned he 'perfectly copes with emotions,' 'understands and reads the game well' and 'fights to the end in every moment.' According to Grishukevich, who is originally from Belarus and spent one winter in the Alberta Junior Hockey League in the late-90s as the last-line-of-defence for the Olds Grizzlys, Zarubin likes to watch and study Mackenzie Blackwood of the Colorado Avalanche. As Grishukevich summarized: 'Kirill likes his tactics of the game, the use of his own size and the choice of positioning.' David Phillips, the chief goaltending scout for FC Hockey, tracked Zarubin through his draft season. In more recent video viewings, he has noticed some significant strides. Brent Dodginghorse, Willie O'Ree award winner, on importance of diversity and respect in sports Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf finishes second in Calder Trophy race 'When he was drafted by Calgary, I could see why they'd want a guy like him because of the raw talent and the size and the athleticism that he does have,' Phillips said. 'And then this year, I was very impressed with how much more refined he became. 'His footwork looks a lot better. His positioning was always quite good. And then he's done a good job of keeping his athleticism and contesting shots all over the ice with that athleticism by being able to just explode into a save.' Could he eventually explode on scene as a factor for the Flames? While some mystery remains, he's apparently motivated to do exactly that. 'It's his dream,' Sigalet said. 'He wants to come over here as soon as possible. He'd come today if we told him to come today. It just has to be the right situation.' wgilbertson@
