Aces Looking For 11th Win Of The SeasonÂ
For the 10th time in its Division I history, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team will take on a top five opponent as the Purple Aces travel to Durham, N.C. to play 4th-ranked Duke on Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Game time is 6 p.m. CT and ESPN2 will have live coverage.
Senior Blake Simmons has continued his banner season in his final year with the Purple Aces. In victories over Austin Peay and Midway, Simmons averaged 18 points per game while shooting 60% from the field (12-of-20); Simmons matched his career-high of 18 points in both contests. Over his last five games, Simmons has averaged 16.2 points per game and has seen his season average jump to 12.3 PPG.
Making his first start on Sunday against Midway, K.J. Riley led UE to its fifth win in a row while falling just three assists shy of a triple double. The Bronx, N.Y. native finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 7 helpers. In two games over the weekend, Riley averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while getting to the line an unbelievable 28 times in two games; Riley hit 21 free throws over the weekend – the opposition combined to shoot just 17 free throws in the two games. His top game as a member of the UE squad came on Saturday against Austin Peay as he notched 22 points while hitting 14 out of 17 free throw attempts.
A 19-point effort against Midway marked the best in the young career of freshman Noah Frederking. The Okawville, Ill. product hit six field goals and four free throws in the win. He has started the last six games for UE, helping them win five of those contests. In his starts, Frederking has played an average of 28.5 minutes per game while reaching double digits in three of the last five games. He has played at least 15 minutes in each of the last eight games overall.
UE ranks 15th in the country, allowing just 61.9 points per game. It currently stands as the #2 defense in Evansville’s Division I history; the top defense in the 1981-82 season allowed just 60.1 PPG over 29 games.
Winning eight of its first ten games, the Purple Aces are 10-2 for the third time in four years. Between 1989 and 2014, the team did not record one such start.
Duke enters Wednesday’s contest with an 11-1 mark and are ranked fourth in the country. After starting the season at 11-0 and moving to #1 in the nation, the Blue Devils dropped their ACC opener at Boston College, 89-84. Marvin Bavley III leads the Blue Devils with 21.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Bagley leads the NCAA with 102 field goals while his 135 total rebounds are second. Grayson Allen sits with 17.2 PPG. Trevon Duval is sixth in the nation with 80 assists.
Since the 1948-49 season, the University of Evansville has squared off against 70 ranked opponents, posting a 16-54 mark. Evansville has knocked off a ranked opponent in five out of the last eight seasons.
