Madness right around corner

HOOPS SEASON FAST APPROACHING

(10/9/06)

Photo credit: Rob Freeman/Chicago Flame Expect the Fury to make its presence known at the Pavilion, starting with Friday night’s Basketball Madness. Last year, the Fury turned out in big numbers for the Flames’ game with Detroit.

The first glimpse into the 2006-07 season basketball comes to the UIC Pavilion this Friday night as Basketball Madness invades the Near West side.

The event kicks off with Fan Fest at 8 p.m. with free pizza hot dogs and soft drinks available. At 9:30, players from the men’s and women’s basketball team will be introduced. Then there will be team scrimmages and skills competitions.

Admission is free and the first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a choice of a special UIC basketball t-shirt or shoe bag.

According to UICFlames.com, shuttle bus transportation will begin at 7:30 p.m. making stops at each residence hall on both sides of campus and the Flames Athletic Center following the UIC-Loyola “Red Out” volleyball game to the Pavilion. Please look for the bus labeled “Special Event.” It will also be available at the conclusion of Basketball Madness returning to the residence halls.

The men’s team is expected to contend for the Horizon League title, while the women are seeking their first NCAA bid after falling short in last year’s conference championship game against Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Photo credit: UIC Athletics Mike Smith

EX-FLAMES: One-time Flames guard Mike Smith, who played in 10 contests at UIC in parts of two seasons, is making his mark at St. Francis of Joliet. The 6-foot-2 Smith averaged 19.3 points per game (ninth in the nation) and started 27 contests for the Fighting Saints as a junior last season.

Smith shot 52 percent from the field and 48 percent from three-point range (10th in the nation) for the NAIA school. He also averaged 6.7 rebounds per game.

Street & Smith’s magazine named Smith to its Preseason Honorable Mention All-America team.

Smith, a highly-regarded prep at Shepard High, played nine games at UIC in his freshman season of 2002-03 and averaged 1.0 points, while fighting through injuries. He redshirted the 2003-04 campaign and played just one game early in the 2004-05 season before transferring to St. Francis.

Meanwhile, Cedrick Banks, a former teammate of Smith’s, continues to excel in France. Banks tallied 27 points on 10-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range in Nancy’s 92-68 victory over Chalon sur Saone on Sept. 30. He also had four assists and three steals in 30 minutes of action.

Banks scored 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting while playing 22 minutes in Nancy’s 75-63 win over Clermont on Oct. 7. He is now averaging 18.0 points in three games.

MORE PREDICTIONS: Both Street & Smith’s and The Sporting News have released their college basketball annuals and both have picked the Flames to finish in fifth place in the Horizon League.

Street & Smith’s top five are: Loyola, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Detroit, Butler and UIC. Sporting News’ top five are: Wisconsin-Green Bay, Loyola, Detroit, Wright State and UIC.

FLAMES FLICKERS: Instead of a second exhibition game, UIC will have a closed scrimmage against Northwestern. The Flames will play Lewis in their lone preseason game on Nov. 7 as part of an exhibition doubleheader with the women’s basketball team, which faces Bob Hallberg’s St. Xavier squad. … Congratulations to former Flames baseball star Curtis Granderson as he helped lead the Detroit Tigers past the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series.