UW-Milwaukee to host UIC Saturday on ESPN2

Feb. 1, 2005

UW-Milwaukee will play host to UIC this Saturday, Feb. 5, in a key Horizon League men's basketball game that will be televised live on ESPN2. Tip-off is 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT) at U.S. Cellular Arena in downtown Milwaukee.


Jerry Punch will call the play-by-play for ESPN2 with color commentary by Bucky Waters.


The game is a rematch of last season's Horizon League championship game that UIC won 65-62 on the top-seeded Panthers' home court. The two teams have combined to claim the last three tournament titles with UW-Milwaukee winning in 2002 and `03.


UW-Milwaukee (15-5, 8-2) currently leads the Horizon League by a game over UW-Green Bay and will play at Wright State this Wednesday prior to the UIC game. The Flames, who are part of a three-way tie for third, beat Butler 73-49 Jan. 29 in their most recent action and do not play again until Saturday. Earlier this season, the Panthers downed UIC 75-67 at Chicago in the League opener for both teams.


UW-Milwaukee, the preseason Horizon League favorite, is led by the League's highest scoring duo in senior guard Ed McCants (16.6 ppg) and junior forward Joah Tucker (14.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg) plus the inside presence of junior forward Adrian Tigert (9.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg). The Panthers had won eight straight games prior to a 76-72 loss at UW-Green Bay Jan. 29 in their most recent outing.


Preseason Horizon League Player of the Year Cedrick Banks, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, paces UIC with 15.5 points per game. Senior forward Armond Williams, last year's League tournament MVP, contributes 10.9 rebounds and 6.3 rebounds per contest, while sophomore forward Jovan Stefanov adds 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. The Flames have won six of their last eight games, including a five-game winning streak from early- to mid-January.