Scouting Valpo @ UIC
Valparaiso (14-9, 5-6) at Illinois-Chicago (13-10, 7-5)
When: 7 p.m. at the UIC Pavilion
TV: www.horizonleaguenetwork/tv
Radio: WIND 560-AM
The skinny: While the Crusaders took Saturday off, the Flames earned a hard-fought 5-point win at Loyola that jumped them into a fourth-place tie in the Horizon League. UIC is just 1 win behind second-place Wright State in the loss column, so this is a big one for Josh Mayo and the boys. Valpo won the first meeting 60-56 on Jan. 24 as the Flames shot a dreadful 31 percent from the field. On the plus side, Scott VanderMeer dominated the middle with his career-high 21 rebounds and 3 blocks. Moreover, point guard Spencer Stewart was just rounding back into shape in that game. Now he's back in the lineup and UIC's offense runs more smoothly.