Whoosh! photo Redshirt junior guard Daniel Barnes played in just five games last season after suffering a right knee injury.

In his first season as a head coach, UIC’s Howard Moore already showed the maturity of a sage veteran.

Not necessarily in the win column, but in the humility column.

Despite a 7-24 record, huge does of disappointment and some downright horrible luck, Moore never made an excuse.

He had just two months to prepare for the regular season after being hired to replace Jimmy Collins, who abruptly retired last summer after season at the helm of the Flames.

He lost two key bench players —guards Daniel Barnes and Matt Bush — to season-ending knee injuries just weeks into the season.

He lost another key player and team’s third-leading scorer — guard Zavion Neely — to academic ineligibility at mid-season.

The remaining roster, perhaps satisfied after an historic 57-54 upset of big brother Illinois at United Center on Dec. 18, never fulfilled their promise as the Flames won just two of their last 19 games to conclude the season.

By season’s end, Moore was giving two walk-ons — guards Dipanjot Singh and Corey Gray — heavy minutes and despite their best efforts, UIC finished tied for last in the Horizon League with Youngstown State. It was the Flames’ worst conference finish since the 1998-99 season.

That being said, excuses would have been the easy way out for Moore.

“I was given a tremendous opportunity to do what I love in my hometown right down the street from where I grew up, so why would I complain,” Moore said. “You’ve just got to make it better and we knew there were some things to work on.”

Now, Moore, with a full year under his belt and a full summer to prepare for his second season, is ready to begin fulfilling his vision for the program.

“There were some obstacles to overcome and that’s the fun of it, because when we do get this thing going and we’re competing for Horizon League championships, we’ll look back at those days when things were tough and adversity was high,” Moore said. “Last season helped me as a young head coach because nothing prepares you other than being in the job.”

The Flames’ coach is not only one who experienced trials and tribulations recently.

Barnes, who will be the starter at shooting guard and projects to be the Flames’ top scorer this season, is looking to make up for lost time.

Barnes went down in UIC’s fifth game last season — a solid 74-68 victory over Rhode Island at the 2K Sports Classic in Toledo, Ohio — with an injury to his right knee for the second time in two seasons. It was a crushing blow for the redshirt junior from Oak Park-River Forest High School.

“It was blessing to come back out here after two knee surgeries,” said the 6-foot-2, 169-pound “I couldn’t dwell on the injury (last season). This is what I’ve been training for my whole life.”

The 6-foot-2, 169-pound Barnes said he is feeling 100 percent and showed some signs of greatness, hitting three 3-pointers and playing solid defense in UIC’s 61-45 exhibition win over Chicago last week.

“Danny is very hungry, because he lost an opportunity last year with the injury,” Moore said. “He’s very much in tune to getting out here and being a leader. I want him to come out and establish himself on both ends, especially defensively, because he’s very capable of that.”

Barnes received some more good news this week as the NCAA has granted him an additional year of eligibility as he was allowed to take a redshirt last season.

Whoosh! photo Senior center Darrin Williams has lost 30-35 pounds since last season, and coach Howard Moore says it’s time to start producing.

Another Flame looking to make his mark is senior center Darrin Williams. Williams, who arguably had his best stretch in a UIC uniform over back-to-back contests in December when he scored a career-best 14 points at Northern Illinois on Dec. 14 and scored the go-ahead rebound basket to beat the Fighting Illini four days later, has dropped about 30-35 pounds.

“Just working hard, watching what I eat, staying focused on the plan,” said the 6-foot-9 Williams, who has trimmed down to 269 pounds. “Last year, Coach Moore told me how much better I can be if I lost weight. It clicked with me, because this is my last season.”

Williams, who averaged 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season, will start in the frontcourt.

“It’s well documented what Darrin did this offseason,” Moore said. “But he’s got to focus on now. Now, he has to respond. Now you’ve got to produce and get some things done. The biggest thing with him is being aggressive and assertive and not waiting for the game to come to him.”

Paris Carter, a 6-foot-7, 221-pound senior will start alongside of Williams. Carter was a part-time starter last season and averaged 4.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Moore will count more on Carter’s defense and rebounding this season.

“These are the guys who will the anchors of our post,” Moore said of Williams and Carter. “They have a good feel for what I expect and they know the urgency of getting this thing turned around.”

The starting backcourt/wing players include Barnes and freshman Marc Brown along with junior college transfer Gary Talton manning the point.

The 6-foot-1, 158-pound Talton, from the Dallas area, was a late signee in the spring and gives the Flames a true point guard with slashing and dishing abilities. Talton averaged 14.7 points and 6.8 assists at Mountain View Community College last season.

Whoosh! photo Freshman guard Marc Brown should see plenty of minutes this season.

Brown, another Dallas native, has high potential as a scorer and a top defender. Brown had committed to Florida State as a high school sophomore before changing his mind.

“Marc has a nice, strong build, a college-ready body, and a very good basketball IQ,” Moore said of the 6-foot-4, 203-pound Brown.

Another freshman expected to contribute right away is point guard Greg Travis, from Curie High School. Travis will give the Flames a spark off the bench with his ability to drive to the basket. He looks to be the better defender of UIC’s point guard duo.

Bush, who is also recovering from two knee surgeries, will give the Flames a veteran backcourt presence. He is a smart and steady player that Moore can trust. The 6-foot-4, 197-pound senior can stick the occasional perimeter shot.

Helping out in the post will be sophomore Hayden Humes, who transferred from Toledo. Humes was casualty of the Rockets’ APR woes as the team lost a scholarship. Humes, who Moore called a typical Horizon League “4” player (power forward), will add some muscle and hustle with his 6-foot-8, 215-pound frame.

With Moore’s vision of being a defense-first squad, senior forward Dorian Tyler and freshman swingman Ahman Fells could see minutes as defensive stoppers.

Tyler, who emerged late in the season as a solid contributor of the bench, is viewed as a unique commodity with his lanky 6-foot-9, 196-pound build.

“He has that wingspan,” Moore said last week. “He’s like Inspector Gadget.”

Fells has plenty to learn on offense, especially since came off the bench at perennially powerful Simeon High School in Chicago, but his defense could help him see the floor at least a little bit.

Others fighting for minutes include: Rob Robinson, a 6-foot-5 freshman swingman who also played at Simeon before going to St. John’s Military Academy in Wisconsin for a year. … Will Simonton, a 6-foot-10, 217-pound freshman center from Fishburne Military (Va.) who was Moore’s first commitment last fall. … Jerome Brown, a 6-foot-4 freshman guard from Morgan Park High School, who can run hot and cold as a perimeter shooter. … Anthony Kelley, a 6-foot-6 junior guard, who is the only player remaining that performed during Collins’ last season as UIC coach. Kelley was battling a hamstring injury over the last couple of weeks. … Sammy Sutter, a 6-foot-2, 164-pound freshman guard from South Elgin, is a preferred walk-on.

“Guys have been really receptive to the learning,” Moore said. “Our emphasis is to get a lot better on defense, making sure that we’re putting forth the effort. Offensively, we’re trying to get up and down a little bit more, running off stops, getting out in transition.

“You’ve got to be patient. Every day is a step toward the ultimate goal.”

GOODBYE: The Flames lost two stalwarts from last season’s team in guard Robo Kreps and forward Paul Carter, who are now playing professionally in Europe. The team also lost center K.C. Robbins, guard Jimmy Harding and forward Brad Birton, who exhausted their eligibility. … Neely, who would have been a senior, transferred to NAIA Cumberlands (Ky.) … Swingman Shawn King left after one season of ball at UIC to play from Division II Mesa State (Colo.). … Gray left after two seasons to transfer to Chicago State to play for former Flames assistant Tracy Dildy. Former two-year walk-on Singh transferred to Division II Massachusetts-Lowell. … Forward Eddie Denard is now in junior college at Kirkland (Mo.) after spending one season with the Flames. … Two-year walk-on Armon Rasul is continuing his career at NAIA William Penn in Iowa.

SCHEDULE: The Flames will play one of the lightest schedules they’ve had in years. With a team still in transition, it’s probably a good idea to grab some winnable games early in the campaign.

UIC opens its season Friday at Eastern Michigan, then returns to the Pavilion for its home opener against NAIA Roosevelt on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The highlight of the non-conference slate is the game at Oregon State on Dec. 13 with another solid test at Dayton on Dec. 23. The Flames also play home games against Quincy, Evansville, Northern Illinois and Western Illinois. UIC also returns to the BracketBuster field after a year off with a road game on Feb. 18.

Horizon League play begins on Dec. 1 at Green Bay and continues Dec. 3 at Milwaukee. UIC’s first conference home game is Dec. 29 against Detroit. UIC hosts national runner-up Butler on Jan. 19 and plays crosstown rival at home on Jan. 14 and at the renovated Gentile Arena on Feb. 11.