After a week and a half break, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff men’s basketball team returns to action this week with a trip to Chicago.
UAPB will face the University of Illinois Chicago at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Credit Union 1 Arena on ESPN-Plus. The Golden Lions will remain in town to face DePaul on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Wintrust Arena on TruTV.
These games will be two of the final three nonconference road games for UAPB (0-8) this season. The Golden Lions last played on Nov. 23 at Miami (Ohio) and are coming off a much-needed break after playing eight road games across three time zones in November. UAPB will play five games in December, starting with these two in Chicago.
Senior forward Jaquan Scott and senior guard Quion Williams remain UAPB’s scoring leaders, but redshirt junior guard Trevon Payton has emerged as a third option.
Payton is averaging 10.6 points per game despite attempting 66 shots this season, the second fewest among UAPB’s typical starting lineup. His 36 attempts from 3-point range are the second most on the roster. He is shooting a team-best 47% from the field and 41.7% from 3-point range.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UIC (4-3) is 2-0 at home. The Flames last played in the 2025 Boardwalk Battle in Daytona Beach, Florida, going 1-2 with a win against Southern Indiana and losses to High Point and Robert Morris. This will be their first home game since Nov. 11.
Junior guard Ahmad Henderson II leads UIC with 16.6 points per game, followed by freshman guard Andy Johnson with 14.9. The Flames shoot 47.7% from the field as a team and average 81 points.
DePaul (5-3) is 4-2 at home this season. The Blue Demons’ last action came in the Emerald Coast Classic in Destin, Fla., where they beat Georgia Tech but fell to LSU.
Three Blue Demons average double figures, led by senior guard CJ Gunn’s 13.9. Senior forward NJ Benson averages 10 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and has collected a team-leading 20 offensive rebounds.
DePaul also features Little Rock native Layden Blocker, an Arkansas transfer. He is averaging 12 points per game while leading the team in assists (30) and steals (13).
UAPB’s 11-game season-opening road stretch will feature one more road game after these two before the Golden Lions finally play their home opener later this month.