CHICAGO -- UIC heads to the bright lights of Las Vegas over the Thanksgiving holiday for the Las Vegas Classic. The Flames join Hawaii, San Diego and South Alabama in the field, with action slated for Nov. 25-26. UIC/Hawaii and San Diego/South Alabama are the two semifinal contests on Thursday, with the winners and losers meeting up on Friday.

TIP-OFF
• The Flames dropped a hard-fought 80-63 bragging rights game to city rival Loyola this past Saturday. Damaria Franklin recorded his second double-double of the year, tying the game high with 22 points to go along with a game-best 12 rebounds.
• Kevin Johnson leads the Horizon League with 7.2 assists per game, while his game-high nine assists in UIC's victory over Valpo are the second-highest single-game assist total in the League so far this season. Johnson ranks eighth nationally in assists per game.

MATCHUP BREAKDOWN
• Joining UIC in Las Vegas in the tournament field will be Hawaii, San Diego and South Alabama.
• Hawaii enters the contest 2-1 on the year while the Toreros and Jaguars are both 3-2.
• UIC and Hawaii have met once before, a 74-70 UIC victory on Dec. 14, 1990.
• The Flames are 2-1 all-time against San Diego, and have won the last two contests, including a 89-83 win on Dec. 2, 2019.
• UIC has never faced South Alabama.

WELCOME HOME
• The Las Vegas Classic will be a homecoming game for UIC's Michael Diggins.
• A native of Las Vegas, Diggins graduated from nearby Durango High School.

DISH IT OUT
• UIC newcomer Kevin Johnson has run the offense to near perfection this season, handing out a team-leading 29 assists while only turning the ball over 11 times. 
• Johnson's 29 total assists and 7.2 assists per game are both tops in the Horizon League while his 7.2 assists per contest ranks eighth nationally.
• Johnson's nine assists in UIC's win over Valparaiso are the second-most in a game by any Horizon League player this year. 
• UIC dished out a season-high 28 assists in its 91-50 win over Trinity Christian on Nov. 16. The 28 helpers are the most under Luke Yaklich and were just three shy of matching the program record for most assists in a game (31, twice, last vs. Northeastern Illinois on Dec. 9, 1987).

PICKED THE POCKET
• In UIC's 91-50 victory over Trinity Christian, Jamie Ahale registered a career-high four steals.
• The four swipes are the most by and Flames player under head coach Luke Yaklich.
• Ahale's four steals are tied for the second most by any Horizon League player in a game this year.