D1 · Missouri Valley Conference

UIC Men’s Basketball Recruiting: Roster & Openings

KenPom #111 · 19–16 · 2025–26 · Division 1 · Missouri Valley Conference · Chicago, IL

UIC finished 19–16 (MVC 4th, KenPom #111) in 2025–26. 16 players hold the 2026–27 roster; 10 are new this season.

Roster data through 2026–27

Roster16 players
New this season10
Transfer additions5
Clearest projected openingGuards · 2028
Most common home stateIL (9)

Where the door opens

our roster projection · your arrival year

Guards: open from 2028 — 7 ahead.

Forwards: blocked until 2029.

2026
Gcrowded10 ahead
Fcrowded4 ahead
2027
Gcrowded11 ahead
Fblocked5 ahead · multi-yr
2028
Gopening7 ahead
Fblocked5 ahead
2029
Gopening5 ahead
Fopening4 ahead
2030
Gopen3 ahead
Fopen2 ahead

Projections for 2029, 2030 are low-confidence reads.

Guards in that room (11)
Andy Johnson6′6″So
Ahmad Henderson II5′9″Sr
Rashund Washington Jr.6′5″So
Mario Wooden Jr.6′5″Fr
Rocco Pagliocca6′2″Fr
Benny Gealer6′1″Grad
Asa Thomas6′7″RS-Jr
Mekhi Lowery6′7″Sr
Gabe Cupps6′2″RS-Jr
Nicolas Ortiz6′1″Sr
Elijah Garrett6′2″Fr
Forwards in that room (5)
Nano Barrantes6′10″So
DJ Hudson6′8″Fr
Dikembe Shaw6′7″Fr
Lucas Scroggins6′9″RS-Jr
Jayce Nathaniel6′8″RS-So
Those openings are for the roster in general. See whether your position, size and profile fit them →

If you want to play at UIC

How to get recruited here

For 2026 arrivals the roster projection reads: G crowded (10 ahead), F crowded (4 ahead).

Of the latest cycle's 10 arrivals, 5 came straight from high school and 5 from the transfer portal.

Most arrivals come from IL, GA, CA.

5 of 16 recent arrivals held a national ranking — 5 of 16 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

51% of last season's scoring returns.

The roster, as a depth chart

2026–27 · 16 players

Guards 11 of 16

Asa Thomas6′7″RS-Jr
Mekhi Lowery6′7″Sr · final yr8.1 PPG
Andy Johnson6′6″So11.2 PPG
Rashund Washington Jr.6′5″So
Mario Wooden Jr.6′5″Fr
Rocco Pagliocca6′2″Fr
Gabe Cupps6′2″RS-Jr
Elijah Garrett6′2″Fr
Benny Gealer6′1″Grad · final yr
Nicolas Ortiz6′1″Sr · final yr
Ahmad Henderson II5′9″Sr · final yr12.0 PPG

Frontcourt 5 of 16 · forwards + centers

Nano Barrantes6′10″So · F
Lucas Scroggins6′9″RS-Jr · F
DJ Hudson6′8″Fr · F
Jayce Nathaniel6′8″RS-So · F6.2 PPG
Dikembe Shaw6′7″Fr · F
freshman final year — spot opens returning

Returning production

51%of recorded scoring returns
3 of 5top scorers returning
Top returning scorers
Ahmad Henderson II12.0 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Andy Johnson11.2 PPG in 2025–26 · returning
Mekhi Lowery8.1 PPG in 2025–26 · returning

Computed from 10 of 14 players on the 2025–26 roster with recorded stats; "returning" means listed on the 2026–27 roster.

Who actually gets onto this roster?

How players arrive

5from high school5via the portal

11 of 16 roster spots were filled out of high school or held over.

Rankings

5 of 16

5 of 16 appear in our cross-checked rankings ledger; players absent from the ledger are not necessarily unranked.

Best-ranked: Gabe Cupps #104.

Where from

IL 9 · GA 3 · CA 2 · AR 1 · IA 1 · IN 1

2 international: Trogir, Croatia; Beaumont, Texas

High schools: Curie ×2; Brother Rice; AZ Compass Prep and 2 more

Transfer flow

named arrivals and departures

2025–26 → 2026–27 · in

→Benny Gealer
→Asa Thomas
→Gabe Cupps
→Nicolas Ortiz
→Lucas Scroggins

2025–26 → 2026–27 · out

←Elijah Crawford
←Carlos Harris III
←Ante Beljan
←AJ Morgan

How this roster compares

Missouri Valley Conference (11 programs, 2025–26 medians)
MeasureUICConference
Average guard height6′3″6′4″−1″
Average frontcourt height6′8″6′9″−1″
Roster size1615+1
Freshman share31%31%

The five-year arc

kenpom rank · wins · conference finish
#2772021–22#285→ moved to the MVC2022–23#1782023–24#1892024–25#1112025–26
14–16 · Horizon 8th12–20 · MVC 9th12–21 · MVC 9th18–14 · MVC 8th19–16 · MVC 4th

Coaching staff

Rob EhsanHead coach
Kevin DevittAssociate head coach
David BerkunAssistant coach
Kevin ZaboAssistant coach
Ryan DavisAssistant coach
Staff changes7 on-court staff changes in 4 offseasons — 2 before 2023–24, 3 before 2024–25, 1 before 2025–26, 1 before 2026–27.

Academics

published admissions data
Acceptance rate77%
SAT midpoint1195
ACT midpoint27

How this page is made: Rosters: official UIC rosters, 2025–26 and 2026–27, read from the athletic department's own site · Season: UIC's 2026–27 roster is posted, so this page reads it; the conference comparison uses 2025–26, the newest season every program has on file. · Stats: 2025–26, the last season played — the 2026–27 season has no games yet. · New this season: players not listed on the 2025–26 roster; a newcomer who is not a freshman counts as a transfer addition · Ratings: KenPom, five seasons; conference finish computed among same-conference teams by rating · Openings: Depth Chart's roster projection from listed class years; confidence stated per year · Sample: among players who made a college roster — the data cannot see who didn't. Among players who made a college roster. Model judgments describe positions and cohorts, never a named player's future. Refreshed automatically when the rosters change. Corrections: research@mydepthchart.com.

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