UIC hoops scouting report

UIC (7-23) at Cleveland State (24-7)

When: 6 p.m. at Wolstein Center

Net: horizonleague.com

Radio: WMVP 1000-AM

The skinny: The Flames lost the last-place tiebreaker with Youngstown State and accepted the 10th seed in the Horizon League. Their non-reward? A long bus ride to face Horizon League player of the year Norris Cole (21.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.2 spg). The senior point guard is a finalist for the Cousy Award and a legitimate All-American candidate. UIC coach Howard Moore knows it’ll be tough to stop him as Cole averaged 21.5 points when third-seeded CSU swept the Flames by a combined 38 points during the regular season. “No one can control him,” Moore said. “And (the Vikings) know who they are.” That means it’s hard to get Cleveland State out of its game. While the Vikings will use their quickness to press, they won’t hurry on offense just to force an uncomfortable tempo.

Advancement: The winner faces the winner of seventh-seeded Green Bay at sixth-seeded Wright State on Friday at Milwaukee.

— Lindsey Willhite