NORMAL, Ill. — In a close contest on Sunday, Sasa Ciani contributed significantly with 16 points, helping UIC secure a 73-67 win against Illinois State.
Ciani also recorded nine rebounds for the Flames, bringing their season record to 9-4, with a conference standing of 1-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Javon Jackson supported the team with 14 points, converting 4 of 10 shots overall, including 2 out of 3 from beyond the arc, and sinking 4 out of 6 free throws. Ahmad Henderson II also made an impact, shooting 4 of 7 from the field—hitting 1 out of 3 from three-point territory—and finishing with a total of 12 points after hitting all his three free throw attempts.
On the opposing side, the Redbirds, who now hold an 8-5 overall record and are 0-2 in conference play, were led by Malachi Poindexter, who scored 20 points. Ty Pence contributed with 10 points while Dalton Banks added nine points along with five assists and two steals.
During the initial half, Jackson scored nine points for UIC, but the team went into halftime trailing at 35-33. In the second half, UIC made a strong comeback, outscoring Illinois State by eight points, with Ciani leading the charge by netting 14 points in the final period.