Thursday, November 20
Time: 2:30 PM
Event: Boardwalk Battle
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Series & Setting
High Point heads to Daytona Beach for the first-ever meeting between the Panthers and UIC.
The backdrop feels fitting. Two teams that prefer to push the pace will meet in the shadow of Daytona International Speedway, where quick decisions, clean execution, and control of tempo separate contenders from pretenders.
High Point arrives after a strong response performance against Canisius. The Panthers showed improved defensive structure, better discipline, and meaningful contributions throughout the rotation.
The perimeter shooting also began to show signs of life, particularly from Chase Johnston, who connected on five three-pointers against the Golden Griffins. High Point has consistently generated quality looks this season, but the results have not always followed. The Panthers will need to remain sharp during an unusual mid-afternoon tip in a neutral-site tournament environment.
UIC enters at 3–1 with victories over Detroit Mercy, St. Francis Illinois, and Chicago State, along with a competitive loss at Oregon State.
Like many modern mid-major programs, the Flames rebuilt much of their roster during the offseason. UIC added 10 new players and has quickly embraced an aggressive, pace-friendly style under second-year head coach Rob Ehsan.
This matchup has all the ingredients of a shootout. Whichever team controls the race may leave Daytona truly off to the races.
Overview
UIC lost four starters and returned only 15% of last season’s minutes, forcing Ehsan to reconstruct the roster almost from the ground up.
He did so by prioritizing experience, length, athleticism, and positional versatility.
The Flames want to pressure the basketball, force rushed decisions, and turn long rebounds or live-ball turnovers into immediate transition opportunities.
Sound familiar?
Offensively, UIC relies on several core concepts:
- Spacing and early-clock three-pointers
- Pick-and-roll creation
- Long wings attacking the offensive glass
- Ahmad Henderson II’s speed in the open floor
Defensively, the Flames play a physical man-to-man system built around pressure principles. They trap selectively, close out aggressively, and attempt to push opposing guards away from their preferred operating areas.
UIC is talented and dangerous, but the Flames are still developing chemistry and consistency within a largely new rotation.
Team Identity: Pressure, Pace & Prolonged Length
Pressure
UIC wants to disrupt possessions before the offense becomes comfortable.
The Flames pressure ballhandlers, shade them toward the sideline, deny reversal passes, and attempt to force hurried decisions early in the shot clock.
Pace
UIC averages 82.3 points per game and actively seeks to turn games into track meets.
The Flames are comfortable attacking before the defense is set, especially when Henderson is able to push the ball through the middle of the floor.
Prolonged Length
UIC can rotate several players between 6’6″ and 6’8″ across the wing positions.
That lineup construction gives the Flames switching versatility, rebounding potential, and the ability to maintain pressure without becoming too small.
High-Volume Three-Point Shooting
UIC ranks approximately 66th nationally in three-point attempts and is willing to shoot early in possessions.
Nearly 40% of the Flames’ field-goal attempts come from beyond the arc, making perimeter defense and long-rebound positioning critical for High Point.
Free-Throw Efficiency
The Flames shoot approximately 80% from the free-throw line.
That efficiency makes unnecessary fouls particularly costly. High Point cannot allow UIC to maintain offensive rhythm by repeatedly scoring with the clock stopped.
Key Flames
- Ahmad Henderson II (5’10”, PG) — UIC’s leading scorer at approximately 17.0 points per game. Undersized but explosive, Henderson changes direction quickly, pressures the rim, and shoots roughly 95% from the free-throw line.
- Andy Johnson (6’6″, Fr.) — A breakout freshman averaging approximately 15.0 points per game. Johnson combines positional size with perimeter skill and already looks comfortable creating his own shot.
- Sam Silverstein (6’6″, G/F) — The connective piece within the rotation. He rebounds, defends multiple positions, and contributes without requiring a high volume of shots.
- Mekhi Lowery (6’7″, G/F) — Athletic and active utility wing who impacts the game through defense, rebounding, and effort plays.
- Ante Beljan (6’10”, F) — Skilled European-style big man with touch, passing ability, and pick-and-pop potential.
Additional depth pieces to monitor include Momoh, Walker, Hammons, and Crawford.
Tempo-Free Snapshot
UIC Early Profile
- 82.3 points per game
- 34.5% from three
- 80.2% from the free-throw line
- 10.3 steals per game
- 34.0 rebounds per game, a relatively low national mark
High Point Early Profile
- Flashes of elite offensive efficiency
- Consistently generating quality perimeter looks, though the conversion rate remains below expectations
- 70.9% from the free-throw line, leaving valuable points unclaimed
- Improved defensive discipline against Canisius
- Forcing turnovers without relying on excessive fouling
- One of the deeper rotations in the tournament field
Coaching Breakdown: Rob Ehsan
Rob Ehsan is in his second season at UIC and is quickly shaping the Flames into a physical, pressure-oriented team.
His core principles include:
- Aggressive point-of-attack defense
- Selective trapping in the corners
- Denying easy reversal passes
- Ball-screen movement and spacing on offense
- Adapting the system to personnel rather than forcing players into rigid roles
- Demanding physicality and effort on every possession
Expect UIC to challenge High Point’s ball security from the opening tip. The Flames will test whether the Panthers can remain composed against pressure without becoming passive.
Matchup Outlook vs. High Point
Pace Battle
Both teams want to run, but High Point generally plays faster with more control.
The Panthers are comfortable pushing the ball after misses and turnovers while still maintaining spacing and decision-making discipline.
UIC is more willing to embrace volatility. The Flames want the game to become frantic, physical, and filled with quick possessions.
High Point’s challenge is to control the race line rather than simply matching UIC’s speed.
Shooting
This is the defining storyline.
UIC shoots frequently from beyond the arc and has converted enough of those attempts to remain dangerous. Nearly 40% of its shots come from three, and the Flames are comfortable allowing shooting variance to determine the game.
On the other end, UIC’s aggressive help principles and gambling tendencies should create catch-and-shoot opportunities for High Point.
The Panthers have consistently generated open looks. They simply need to convert them with greater regularity than they have through much of the early season.
Size & Matchups
High Point’s wings are well-equipped to match UIC’s length.
Cam Fletcher, Scotty Washington, Terry Anderson, and Keandre Brady give the Panthers enough size and athleticism to defend across multiple positions.
High Point should still own the more significant physical advantage around the basket, particularly when attacking mismatches or crashing from the weak side.
Rebounding
This is the area where High Point can create meaningful separation.
UIC’s rebounding numbers remain underwhelming, and its pace often leaves the Flames vulnerable to second-chance opportunities and transition chances after long rebounds.
The Panthers must finish defensive possessions and prevent those long rebounds from becoming fuel for Henderson in the open floor.
On the offensive end, High Point’s wings should attack the glass whenever UIC overcommits to perimeter pressure.
Fouls & Free Throws
UIC shoots approximately 80% at the line and averages close to 20 free-throw attempts per game.
High Point cannot bail out the Flames with unnecessary fouls in ball-screen coverage or late help rotations.
Maintaining verticality and defending drives without reaching will be essential.
Keys for High Point
- Win the glass. UIC struggles in this area, and the Panthers must turn that weakness into a clear possession advantage.
- Handle the pressure. Calm ball movement, quick reversals, and decisive passing can punish UIC’s aggression.
- Turn clean perimeter looks into makes. Daytona provides another opportunity to restart the shooting rhythm.
- Attack physically off the dribble. UIC’s pressure can create straight-line driving lanes once the first defender is beaten.
- Use the depth advantage. High Point should push the pace in waves and force UIC’s newer rotation to maintain its intensity for 40 minutes.
Toothsayer’s Take
UIC is talented, athletic, and eager to prove that last season’s progress was not a fluke.
The Flames’ pressure and pace can cause real problems if High Point allows them to dictate the rhythm of the afternoon.
However, the Panthers possess the steadier guards, the deeper rotation, and the more established identity.
If High Point shoots near its season average and controls the glass, the Panthers should eventually settle into the game and allow their talent and depth to take over.
Still, neutral-site multi-team events are rarely straightforward.
Games are often played at unusual times, inside unfamiliar venues, and in front of sparse crowds. Those conditions can disrupt routines and make otherwise predictable matchups feel strange.
The team that adapts fastest and handles the environment most professionally will have the advantage.
UIC creates enough pressure and perimeter offense to keep this competitive, but High Point’s superior depth and rebounding should become decisive late.
Prediction
High Point 84, UIC 77