UIC receives some preseason accolades

(9/11/03)

Athlon Sports College Basketball preview magazine hit the newsstands and gave the UIC Flames the first of what should be many glowing reviews for the upcoming season.

The magazine anointed the Flames as the favorites in the Horizon League and has UIC advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. It jokingly says in the team write-up that the “hyphen” is the only thing separating the Flames from the preseason top 25.

It adds the Flames are a potential Sweet 16 team, but they fall short of that projection, because of poor free-throw shooting.

Athlon says that UIC will hold off Butler for the conference crown and the Bulldogs will go to the NIT. The conference predictions are as follows: UIC, Butler, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Loyola, Detroit, Youngstown State, Cleveland State, Wright State, and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Guards Cedrick Banks and Martell Bailey were highlighted as All-Horizon League with Banks getting the nod as Player of the Year.