Flames get Bowling Green in Bracket Buster

(2/03/03)

UIC found out Sunday night that they will host Mid-American Conference contender Bowling Green at the Pavilion in ESPN’s inaugural Bracket Buster Saturday on Feb. 22 at 4 p.m., in a game that will be televised on ESPN2.

The event includes 18 teams at nine sites, showcasing some of the top mid-major programs in the nation. The teams involved hope to catch the eye of the NCAA tournament selection committee late in the season, just three weeks before Selection Sunday.

ESPN college basketball analyst Andy Katz says that the Flames are a dangerous team.

“Look out for Illinois-Chicago,” Katz said on ESPN2’s College Gamenight. “They are a threat to win the Horizon [League] and upset Butler.”

Bowling Green lost all five of its starters from last season’s 24-win NIT qualifier, but the Falcons, coached by former Indiana Hoosier Dan Dakich, are still a contender for the MAC title. Six-foot 10-inch center Kevin Netter (16.2 ppg) and 6-6 forward John Reimold (16.1) lead the way for the Falcons (10-8, 6-4), who are in third place in the MAC West.

Chicago-area product Jabari Mattox, a graduate of St. Joseph High School in Westchester, plays point guard for Bowling Green.

With the assignment of the opponent comes the confirmation of a return trip to Bowling Green on next year’s schedule.

The Flames (14-5, 8-2 in the Horizon) and the Falcons have met twice with the teams splitting. UIC blew out Bowling Green 80-50 during the Flames’ first NCAA run in 1997-98, while the Falcons got sweet revenge with a 89-54 whipping the next year.

It will be UIC’s second game on ESPN2 this season after beating Detroit 77-74 at Calihan Hall on Jan. 18.

The other Horizon League teams in the event also found out their opponents: Wisconsin-Milwaukee travels to Southern Illinois for a 2 p.m. ESPN2 game, while Detroit travels to UC-Santa Barbara for a 10 p.m. tip on ESPN Plus (and ESPN Full Court Pay-per-view).