GAMEDAY INFORMATION
UIC (15-15, 10-7 HL) | Saturday, Feb. 29 - 4:12 PM ET | Credit Union 1 Arena | Chicago, Illinois
 
COVERAGE BROADCAST
ESPN+ |  RADIO: WDFN-AM (1130), iHeart Radio app | TALENT: Neal Ruhl (PxP)

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - The Oakland University men's basketball team travels to Chicago for the regular season finale against UIC. Tipoff from the Credit Union 1 Arena is set for 4:12 PM ET. 

The Golden Grizzlies enter the contest fresh off their four-game winning streak being snapped at IUPUI on Thursday night. Oakland battled to a 10-point edge with 6:59 to play. The Jaguars responded though, taking a one-point lead into the final minute. The Golden Grizzlies had three looks at an equalizer before the final horn blew, 71-68. 

Senior forward Xavier Hill-Mais recorded his fourth-straight double-double. The last Golden Grizzly to string together four-consecutive double-double efforts was Jalen Hayes. From November 27-December 9, 2017, Hayes scored at least 10 points and grabbed at least 10 boards in five-straight games. Hayes finished with 11 double-doubles on the year - Hill-Mais has 10 this season. 

Oakland dropped its seventh one-possession decision of the season with the three-point loss to IUPUI. Ten of the Golden Grizzlies' losses this year have come by six points or less. 

Coming into the week, Oakland was the lone team in the Horizon League with three student-athletes in the top 10 of the conference for rebounds per game. Hill-Mais ranks fourth with 8.1, senior center Brad Brechting ninth at 6.5 and Oladapo 10th with 6.3 boards per game.

The Flames claimed the first matchup between the sides this season, 80-50, at the O'Rena on January 23. The Golden Grizzlies went 19-of-55 from the floor in the contest. 

UIC takes a three-game win streak into its senior day on Saturday. The Flames knocked off Detroit on Thursday, 84-67. Godwin Boahen came off the bench to lead four scorers in double-digits with 19 points.

Tarkus Ferguson leads the team in points, rebounds and assists. Ferguson is averaging 14.2 points, 5.7 boards and five assists per game. Three different UIC shooters have knocked down at least 45 triples. 

The Horizon League Tournament starts on Tuesday, March 3, at campus sites. 

Inside the Series
Overall: Oakland, 15-3
At Home: 6-2
At UIC: 8-0
At Neutral: 1-1
Current Streak: UIC, 1
Last Meeting: L, 80-50 (1/23/20 at O'Rena)
Series Note: Oakland has never lost at UIC

Notes

• Oakland's scoring with Williams versus without is a difference of 9.5 ppg. Oakland's eight-game streak of at least 70 points came to a close on Thursday in the 71-68 loss at IUPUI. 
• Oakland is 67-23 in the month of February since 2009. In eight of those seasons, the Golden Grizzlies have won at least six games in February.
• The last time Oakland did not convert a shot from behind the arc was on Jan. 30, 1988 vs. Wayne State University. The Golden Grizzlies have hit a three-ball in 1,000-consecutive games, which is the fifth-longest streak in the NCAA.
• Hill-Mais recorded his fourth-straight double-double. The last Golden Grizzly to string together four-consecutive double-double efforts was Jalen Hayes. From November 27-December 9, 2017, Hayes scored at least 10 points and grabbed at least 10 boards in five-straight games. Hayes finished with 11 double-doubles on the year - Hill-Mais has 10 this season. 
• Coming into the week, Oakland's defense ranks third in the Horizon League, limiting opponents to 69.9 points per game. Hill-Mais ranks inside the conference's top-10 in six statistical categories and leads the league in field goal percentage, knocking down 52.2-percent from the floor.   
• For the second-straight week, senior forward Xavier Hill-Mais was named the Horizon League's Nike #HLMBB Player of the Week. Hill-Mais has notched four-straight double-doubles.