MVC/Mountain West Challenge returns to Evansville on Saturday
An exciting matchup is on tap as the University of Evansville welcomes Boise State to the Ford Center for a 1 p.m. game as the MVC/Mountain West Challenge makes its way back to Evansville on Saturday.
Wednesday night against Wabash, the Purple Aces made it a perfect 3-for-3 at home this season with an 83-39 win over Wabash. Three UE players hit double figures, led by Ryan Taylor’s game-high 21; Willie Wiley finished with 14 tallies while Jaylon Brown checked in with 11. The Aces had a stellar defensive night, limiting the Little Giants to just 22.2% shooting on the night, including 2-for-26 (7.7%) in the second half.
For the second time in three games, Willie Wiley reached double figures in the win over Wabash. Wiley was extremely efficient, knocking down 6 of his 7 attempts on his way to 14 points; he also blocked three shots. The native of Springfield, Ill. had his best collegiate game against UNC Wilmington as he posted 15 points and 6 rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting in his 33 minutes of action.
Ryan Taylor continued to rack up the points against the Little Giants, finishing with 21 to move his season average to 15.4 points per game, sixth in the MVC. Over the last three games, Taylor has averaged 20.3 PPG while connecting on at least eight shots in each contest. In the game against Middle Tennessee State, Taylor knocked down his first seven attempts on his way to a career-best 22 points. After going 2-14 from the field against Louisville, Ryan Taylor kicked it into high gear, hitting 36 of his 70 attempts in the six games since while averaging 17.2 points over that span.
Saturday’s contest against Boise State will mark the fifth time UE has played in the MVC/Mountain West Challenge. The Aces are 1-3 in their first four games, earning an 85-77 road win at Fresno State last season.
12/20/15 – at Fresno State – W – 85-77
12/1/12 – at Colorado State – L – 72-79
12/3/11 – vs. TCU – L – 68-70 (OT)
12/5/10 – at Air Force – L – 56-57
Boise State comes to Evansville with a record of 4-3 following an impressive win over SMU on Wednesday night. Chandler Hutchison paced BSU with 21 points while James Reid notched 18 in the victory. Hutchison is the leading scorer on the season for the Broncos, currently standing at 17.3 per game; he is also their leading rebounder with 9.1 caroms per contest. Paris Austin and Nick Duncan have each averaged 10.6 points per game through their first seven outings.
The Aces and Broncos have met just once with Broncos earning a 75-69 win in the 2011 CBI. Played at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, the Broncos shot 51.2% on their way to the victory. Ned Cox scored 17 points to pace the Aces in the game while Kenneth Harris notched 16.
