University of Illinois NCAA News

Illinois State defeats Illinois-Chicago, 69-65 Eds: APNewsNow. Illinois State 69, Illinois-Chicago 65.

Illinois St. at Illinois-Chicago When: 7 p.m. at UIC Pavilion Internet: horizonleaguenetwork.tv/uic Audio: espnchicago.com The skinny: The Flames' "Melafusic" celebration features an Illinois State squad that has high hopes again this year.

Robbie Harman scored 20 points, mostly on 3-point shots, as Central Michigan cruised past Illinois-Chicago 67-48 Tuesday night.

The Flames started their 2009-10 campaign beating up on their sister school, UIS , Saturday 72-59 at the Pavilion.

Zavion Neely scored a career-high 19 points and K.C. Robbins had a double-double Saturday in Illinois-Chicago's 72-59 victory over Illinois-Springfield. Robbins, a 6-foot-11, 270-pound junior college transfer making his Division I debut, had 12 points and 13 rebounds in the season opener for both teams.

Preseason ranking: None. PLAYER TO WATCH: Buttell, at 6-foot-7, is going to have to provide some interior toughness for a team with no returning players taller than him.

Tracy Dildy has been promoted to associate head coach after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UIC .

SCOUTING THE NEWCOMERS: There are 11 newcomers on the Flames' bloated 20-man roster.

Junior guard Robo Kreps, pictured above, will be one of the veterans on the UIC Men's Basketball team who will lead a fairly new lineup of players.

Former NIC-10 MVP's Tori Boyd and Rob Eppinger will not return for another season with the UIC Flames.

Anthony Kelley is no stranger to enjoying his summers playing pickup games, but this summer has been different.