CHICAGO (Interstat) — A pair of Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball teams trending in opposite directions will meet Tuesday night when the Illinois-Chicago Flames host the Evansville Purple Aces at UIC Pavilion. The Flames (9-10, 4-3 MVC) enter on a four-game winning streak, their longest of the season, following a 74-67 home victory over Drake on Saturday. Guard Andy Johnson, a key player to watch, led the way with 21 points in that contest and is averaging 12.3 points per game during the conference surge. Conversely, the Purple Aces (5-14, 1-6) have lost five of their last six, including a 94-90 overtime heartbreaker to Bradley on Jan. 13. In that loss, guard Leif Moeller scored a season-high 26 points and dished out six assists. Moeller, Evansville’s primary offensive catalyst, is averaging 15.0 points and 6.0 assists over his last three games. The matchup pits UIC’s recent defensive consistency against Evansville’s struggle to find wins. The Flames have held opponents to an average of 61.5 points during their streak. Evansville, meanwhile, has allowed 79.3 points per game in its last three outings. Illinois-Chicago holds a clear advantage in the standings and is above .500 at home this season (6-4). Evansville seeks its first true road win, having gone 0-8 away from Ford Center so far. Johnson’s scoring efficiency will be critical for UIC against an Evansville defense that ranks near the bottom of the conference. For the Purple Aces, any hope of an upset likely hinges on another high-output performance from Moeller, who must navigate a Flames defense that has been stifling during its current run. Tuesday’s game is the first of two regular-season meetings between the programs. They will meet again in Evansville, Indiana, on Feb. 18.