The 2010-11 Horizon League men's basketball season officially gets underway at approximately 7 p.m. ET Wednesday night, when UIC faces off with #4/5 Pittsburgh in the 2k Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer. Fans can watch the game live on ESPN3.com by clicking here.
UIC enters the game with a fresh outlook after an 8-22 (3-15 Horizon League) mark a year ago; head coach Howard Moore makes his head coaching debut on Wednesday as he guides the Flames after growing up just blocks from the UIC campus before embarking on his coaching career. He takes over the Flames program after serving the last five seasons as an assistant coach at Wisconsin, helping lead the Badgers to five straight NCAA Tournaments.
The Flames return their top two scorers from last season, led by Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League pick Robo Kreps. Kreps is joined in the backcourt by junior Zavion Neely; the duo averaged a combined 27.4 points per game (15.2, 12.2 ppg, respectively) a season ago, and the Flames will look for increased production in 2010-11.
Minnesota transfer Paul Carter will look to make an immediate impact for UIC after receiving a legislative relief waiver from the NCAA, allowing him to compete for the Flames this season; Carter played a key role as the sixth man for the Gophers in each of the past two seasons, scoring more than 300 points and corralling over 200 rebounds in his time at Minnesota.
Pittsburgh (1-0) enters the evening having a home contest already under its belt; the Panthers defeated Rhode Island, 83-75, in the opening game of the 2k Sports Classic. Voted the preseason favorite in the BIG EAST, Pitt comes into the evening with a 48-game home court winning streak against non-conference opponents.
Tonight's game is one of 27 guaranteed matchups across the ESPN family of networks for Horizon League institutions and the first of 10 Horizon League-BIG EAST clashes scheduled in 2010-11.
