Associated Press

UIC Flames (10-5, 2-2 MVC) at Missouri State Bears (7-8, 0-4 MVC)

Springfield, Missouri; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Missouri State hosts UIC after Vincent Brady II scored 29 points in Missouri State’s 69-60 loss to the Bradley Braves.

The Bears are 5-2 on their home court. Missouri State is eighth in the MVC with 31.3 points per game in the paint led by Michael Osei-Bonsu averaging 8.4.

The Flames are 2-2 in conference games. UIC leads the MVC with 17.7 assists. Ahmad Henderson II leads the Flames with 3.9.

Missouri State scores 71.5 points per game, 2.6 fewer points than the 74.1 UIC allows. UIC has shot at a 47.3% clip from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point greater than the 46.3% shooting opponents of Missouri State have averaged.

The Bears and Flames match up Tuesday for the first time in MVC play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dez White is shooting 39.0% and averaging 16.5 points for the Bears.

Filip Skobalj is shooting 44.3% from beyond the arc with 2.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Flames, while averaging 9.1 points.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bears: 3-7, averaging 65.7 points, 29.4 rebounds, 12.3 assists, 7.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 43.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.3 points per game.

Flames: 7-3, averaging 75.7 points, 34.6 rebounds, 16.2 assists, 5.9 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.8 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Associated Press

Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at Iowa Hawkeyes (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten)

Iowa City, Iowa; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Iowa hosts Nebraska after Drew Thelwell scored 25 points in Iowa’s 116-85 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Hawkeyes are 8-1 in home games. Iowa scores 89.4 points and has outscored opponents by 12.3 points per game.

The Cornhuskers are 2-1 against Big Ten opponents. Nebraska ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 35.0 rebounds per game led by Berke Buyuktuncel averaging 6.8.

Iowa averages 89.4 points, 24.8 more per game than the 64.6 Nebraska allows. Nebraska averages 7.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than Iowa gives up.

The Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers meet Tuesday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Payton Sandfort averages 2.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Hawkeyes, scoring 15.5 points while shooting 32.0% from beyond the arc.

Brice Williams is averaging 18.8 points for the Cornhuskers.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawkeyes: 6-4, averaging 90.1 points, 29.3 rebounds, 19.1 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.6 points per game.

Cornhuskers: 9-1, averaging 76.6 points, 33.8 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 7.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.2 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

FRISCO — The party leading up to the Bison’s attempt to win their 10th national title in 14 seasons is a little different this year.

In past years, the NDSU Foundation has hosted a pep fest in the Frisco area.

This year, they are hosting a tailgate party instead.

“Change is good. I think it is going to allow for some more kids and family time,” said Todd Clark, a North Dakota State University fan from West Fargo who is in Frisco for his sixth title game.

“Because it is a night game, I think it makes a lot of sense to get everybody there right before the game instead of 24 hours before that,” former Bison Steve Sershen said.

Fans will take over a soccer field next to Toyota Stadium on Monday, Jan. 6, ahead of the 6 p.m. kickoff. The event at Dr. Pink Field is a free, family-friendly tailgate party that will include games, kids events, a DJ and food and drinks.

The gates open when the tailgate lot opens at 1 p.m. and goes until 4 p.m.

The traditional team walk will take place at 3:15 p.m., right next to the tailgate party.

“The strength of the Herd is the Bison and the strength of the Bison is the Herd, so how do we make sure we do a pregame event that gets everybody together and ready to go into that stadium and absolutely destroy Montana State and make sure everyone is there?” Bethany Hardwig with the NDSU Foundation said of the mindset behind the change in the event.

After the Bison punched their ticket to Frisco, the NDSU Foundation conducted a survey. With the game being on Monday night for the first time, they wanted to know when fans would be in town.

Hardwig said many people would be driving down and arriving Sunday afternoon or early Monday, and the NDSU Foundation wanted an event that those fans could attend.

“That they don’t feel like they missed the thing was really important to us,” she said.

Attendance at pep fests in recent years noticeably declined as Bison Nation spread out across the Frisco area to enjoy their favorite watering holes and restaurants.

“The Bison are a huge part of what we do on that football field, so making sure people are gathered, ready and hyped is our obligation to our team,” Hardwig sad. “Our team has made it this far — Are we ready to yell loud and get them the rest of the way?”

Matt Henson is an Emmy award-winning reporter/photographer/editor for WDAY. Prior to joining WDAY in 2019, Matt was the main anchor at WDAZ in Grand Forks for four years.