UIC Defense Struggles On The Road Against IUPUI
IUPUI's duo of Marcus Burk and Jaylen Minnett torched UIC's typically strong perimeter defense.
UIC (8-11, 5-9) had a chance to end its five game losing streak against a conference foe with a losing record, but IUPUI guards Marcus Burk and Jaylen Minnet had other plans. The Flames lost both games to the Jaguars thanks to the stellar play of Burk and Minnet, who combined to score 115 points across both games.
Green Bay looms ahead for UIC, and the Phoenix have their own trio of productive guards in Amari Davis, Josh Jefferson and PJ Pipes. This will make for an intriguing matchup as the regular season unwinds.
Mitchell Rebounds in Second Game
Junior RayQuawndis Mitchell has struggled since his return on 1/29/21 against Northern Kentucky. Prior to missing extensive time, Mitchell was averaging 11.7 points per game. But the time off, coupled with the rise of Maurice Commander and Teyvion Kirk, resulted in a slump for Mitchell. He had been held to single-digit scoring outputs and his effectiveness beyond the arc had plummeted.
Those issues persisted in the first game against IUPUI, as Mitchell went scoreless in 19 minutes. But he rebounded in a big way the next day, scoring 15 points off the bench in 32 minutes. Mitchell’s shooting touch from deep returned, as went 4-9 from deep.
UIC has struggled to mesh offensively, but having a reliable 3-point threat like Mitchell combined with Jamie Ahale does wonders for UIC’s spacing. The more room Kirk and Bridges have inside the 3-point line to operate, the better UIC is off. If Mitchell can be consistent and continue shooting well, the Flames will have a chance to win against Green Bay.