Head coach Rob Ehsan looks to take UIC Basketball to its first tournament since 2004 after an impressive first two years with the program.
The tradition continues! It’s another year of our countdown of the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball until the start of the season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: UIC basketball.
UIC basketball hasn’t been regarded as the best basketball program, to say the least. Since 2003-04, they have just one 20-win season, and only three NCAA Tournament appearances in 1998, 2002, and 2004. However, this program is on the up and up. Rob Ehsan took over two seasons ago, and as a result, they have their first back-to-back winning seasons as a program since the 2008 and 2009 seasons. The 12 conference wins were tied for the most this century!
The season ended in the Missouri Valley final, where they lost to Northern Iowa after a third-place finish in conference play. This year, they lost their leading scorer, Elijah Crawford, but bring back four of the top five leading scorers from last season. They also add two key pieces from the portal in Asa Thomas, who averaged nearly 12 PPG at Furman, and Gabe Cupps, who moves down after spending time in the Big Ten.
Rob Ehsan has coached six years in college basketball and has never finished with a losing record. Expect that trend to continue, but this time, it’ll hopefully end with a regular season title and a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the Flames.
Head coach: Rob Ehsan (3rd season at UIC, 7th season overall)
2024-25 record: 19-16 (12-8)
2025 postseason finish: NIT First Round Exit
Notable departures:
- Elijah Crawford (14.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.9 APG)
- Abdul Momoh (7.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.9 APG)
Notable non-conference games:
- N/A
Projected Rotation
PG: Ahmad Henderson II (5-10, 114, Sr.)
2025-26 stats: 12.0 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 39.0 FG%, 87.1 FT%
SG: Rashund Washington Jr. (6-5, 205, So.)
2025-26 stats: 8.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 52.3 FG%, 33.7 3P%, 75.4 FT%
SF: Andy Johnson (6-6, 204, So.)
2025-26 stats: 11.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 37.9 FG%, 34.8 3P%, 85.5 FT%
PF: Mekhi Lowery (6-7, 204, Sr.)
2025-26 stats: 8.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 51.1 FG%, 62.9 FT%
C: Jayce Nathaniel (6-7, 228, So.)
2025-26 stats: 6.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 41.4 FG%, 70.8 FT%
6: Asa Thomas (6-7, 200, Jr.)
2025-26 stats: 11.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 40.7 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 74.0 FT% (Furman)
7: Gabe Cupps (6-2, 180, Jr.)
2025-26 stats: 1.7 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 37.8 FG%, 73.7 FT% (Ohio State)
8: Lucas Scroggins (6-9, 215, Jr.)
2025-26 stats: 5.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 67.3 FG% (Saint Peter’s)
9: Dikembe Shaw (6-7, 210, Fr.)
247Sports Composite No. 282-ranked recruit
10: Nano Barrantes (6-10, 232, So.)
247Sports Composite No. 328-ranked recruit (2025)
UIC Basketball team MVP: Andy Johnson
Johnson came onto the scene as a freshman and blew away expectations, finishing third on the team in scoring at 11 PPG and starting all but one game for the team. He definitely showed signs of being a freshman, struggling from the floor at times, but also had some impressive performances against some of the best teams in the conference.
Now, as a sophomore who not only gets an offseason to develop, but gets to play amongst similar players who helped him shine last year, he can truly break out. At 6-6, he can create his own shot and can score at all three levels. He’s not a negative defender, and he rarely turned the ball over. If he can improve on his stats as we see so often, especially his shooting efficiency, he has a serious chance at being the MVC player of the year.
UIC Basketball make-or-break player: Gabe Cupps
If the name Gabe Cupps sounds familiar, you probably remember him as Bronny James’ right-hand man back in the AAU days. He was Ohio Mr. Basketball in 2022, but these accolades haven’t translated to college. In 70 games across three years at Indiana and Ohio State, he has 141 points, or 2 PPG. He was constantly played off the floor by advanced athleticism and couldn’t find his shot.
Now, he transfers down, where the competition will be less stiff, and he’ll have more of an opportunity to shine. He’s shown in his high school days that he can be an elite player, and this could be the chance to showcase that. If he can do just that and either come off the bench or play himself into the starting lineup, UIC can not only win the conference, but win a game in the NCAA Tournament. However, if he can’t, the bench thins significantly, and they’ll have to hope that guys like Henderson and Asa Thomas can stay on the floor.
Stat to know: 3P%
While UIC basketball has several strong points, last season, three-point shooting was not one of them. They shot just 31.6% from deep, 300th in college basketball. Only one player on the team last year shot over 35%, Josiah Hammons, who graduated. They bring in Asa Thomas, who shot 38% from deep last year, and Gabe Cupps, who hasn’t shown it in college but can shoot it from deep as well. Don’t expect them to make three-point shooting their philosophy, but it could be the boost they need to take them from a top three team in the MVC to the best in the conference.
UIC Basketball 2026-27 projections
Projected conference finish: 1st in Missouri Valley Conference
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Appearance