UIC Flames vs Southern Illinois Salukis Prediction, 1/31/2026 College Basketball Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: UIC Flames vs Southern Illinois Salukis

Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026

Location: Banterra Center in Carbondale, IL

TV: ESPN+

The Southern Illinois Salukis (9-12) host the UIC Flames (12-10) at Banterra Center on Saturday.

The UIC Flames took the court against Indiana State and took home the win by a score of 76-74 in their last game. When it comes to fouls, the Flames ended up with 9 and Indiana State recorded 13 fouls. They also made 10 out of their 27 attempts from 3-point range. Indiana State shot 50.0% from the free throw line by knocking down 4 of 8 tries. In addition, Indiana State grabbed 33 rebounds (13 offensive, 20 defensive), but didn't notch a block. Indiana State distributed 25 dimes and had 5 steals for the game. In relation to the defense, UIC let their opponent shoot 52.6% from the field on 30 of 57 shooting. They also recorded 17 dimes in the game in addition to forcing the other team into 20 turnovers and getting 14 steals. Pertaining to grabbing boards, they compiled 25 with 12 of them being offensive. From the charity stripe, the Flames knocked down 15 of 20 attempts for a rate of 75.0%. UIC walked away from the contest having earned a 45.8% field goal percentage (27 of 59) and made 7 out of their 17 3-point attempts.

Josiah Hammons is one player who came through in the matchup. He accounted for 13 points on 4 of 6 shooting. He played for 18 minutes played but had no rebounds when the time ran out. He finished shooting 66.7% from the field and dished out 1 assist.

Get all of our NCAA Picks Today

UIC will enter this matchup with a record of 12-10 this year. They turn the ball over 12.2 times per game and as a group are committing 17.1 personal fouls on a nightly basis. As a unit, UIC is collecting 36.1 boards per contest and has accumulated 322 dimes on the year, which has them ranked 110th in Division 1 in terms of passing the rock. The Flames are hitting 32.2% from downtown (138 of 428) and 73.9% from the charity stripe. They average 75.5 pts per game (205th in the country) while connecting on 44.8% from the floor.

On defense, the Flames are forcing 14.2 turnovers per contest and they draw 18.4 personal fouls. They are giving up 31.3% from 3-point land and they rank 89th in the country in opponents points per game (70.1). The Flames defensively are giving up a shooting percentage of 42.2% (526 of 1,246) and they surrender 33.5 boards per contest as a group. They currently rank 343rd in the country in giving up assists to their opponents with 350 conceded for the season.

When they last stepped on the court, the Southern Illinois Salukis walked away with a victory by a final of 65-50 when they faced UNI. The Salukis were able to corral 26 defensive boards and 5 offensive rebounds for a total of 31 in the game. They also coughed up the ball 10 times, while getting 10 steals in this matchup. UNI earned 14 fouls for this contest which got the Salukis to the charity stripe for a total of 19 tries. They were able to convert 9 of the free throw attempts for a clip of 47.4%. In the matter of shooting from beyond the arc, Southern Illinois converted 6 out of their 15 attempts (40.0%). When the game finished, the Salukis finished 25 for 53 from the floor which gave them a percentage of 47.2%. The Salukis permitted UNI to knock down 19 of 47 tries from the floor which gave them a percentage of 40.4% in the game. They shot 23.5% from 3-point land by going 4 of 17 and ended up going 8 of 13 at the charity stripe (61.5%). In reference to team rebounding, Southern Illinois permitted UNI to get 27 in all (3 offensive).

Rolyns Aligbe ended up being a factor for the Salukis in this game. He made 8 of 10 for this contest for a field goal rate of 80.0%, and tallied 10 rebounds. He scored 21 points in his 32 minutes of playing time and had 1 assist in the game.

Southern Illinois has a mark of 9-12 on the campaign. As an offensive team, the Salukis are shooting 46.3% from the floor, which ranks them 130th in Division 1. Southern Illinois has totaled 1,574 points this season (75.0 per game) and they pull in 38.5 rebounds per contest. They are earning an assist 14.0 times per contest (196th in college) and they lose possession by turning the ball over 12.7 times per game. The Salukis have committed 18.7 fouls every game while shooting 65.7% from the free throw line.

The Salukis on defense are ranked 136th in college in PPG surrendered with 72.1. They are forcing 13.1 turnovers per game and have let teams shoot 42.5% from the field (110th in D-1). The Southern Illinois defense gives up 30.6% on 3-pointers (155 of 506) and their opposition makes 68.7% of their free throw attempts. They surrender 13.6 dimes and 35.6 rebounds per contest, which is ranked 203rd and 254th in D-1.

Who will win tonight's NCAA game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take UIC

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Get college basketball picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.