The annual West Side Night is on tap Wednesday when the University of Evansville men’s basketball team opens up its 25th season in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 6 p.m. game against Drake
– Fans can redeem vouchers for $5 tickets to get into the game
Setting the Scene
– Evansville looks to continue its home success versus the Bulldogs; UE has won its last six home games over Drake
– UE is 6-1 in its seven home contests
– Junior K.J. Riley has hit double figures in his last eight games, he is averaging 14.8 points over that span
– After scoring a total of two points in the two games heading to Miami, Shea Feehan broke out of his slump with 16 on Sunday
– Three of UE’s first four MVC games will take place inside the Ford Center
Last Time Out
– For the fourth game in a row, the final score was decided by five points or less as Miami Ohio defeated UE, 70-67, on Sunday
– The Aces held a 35-31 lead at the half, but a late RedHawk rally gave them the win
– K.J. Riley led Evansville with 20 points, he was 8-of-13 from the line
– Shea Feehan drained three triples on his way to 16 points
Takeaways from Miami
– The first 9 games this season were decided by over five points, the last four have each been decided by five or less; UE is 1-3 in the last four, losing the three games by a total of 10 points
– Evansville was 4-of-14 from outside against the RedHawks; it was a season low in attempts and marked the 8th game in a row UE has shot 35% or lower from outside
– Rebounds played a pivotal role in the game; UE was outrebounded by a 44-30 margin overall and 17-3 on the offensive glass
– When finishing with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, the Aces are 2-4
Playing with Pace
– According to KenPom.com, the Aces are averaging 72.6 possessions per game, which ranks 64th in the nation
– It is a large disparity from last season when UE was 295th in the country, averaging 65.7 possessions
MVC Opener
– Evansville opens its 25th season in the MVC on Wednesday
– Through the first 24 seasons, the Aces are
10-14 in their openers, including a 72-66 defeat against Illinois State last season
Near the Top
– Junior K.J. Riley added 8 more free throw makes and 13 attempts at Miami and now ranks 21st in the nation with 98 free throw tries and 23rd in the NCAA with 74 makes
– Riley also ranks 16th in the country with 7.7 fouls drawn per game
– Over his last eight games, Riley has posted 14.8 points; he has notched 22 PPG in the last two outings
– Following a career-high 24 points against Green Bay, Riley notched 20 at Miami
– Riley has been a solid scorer, pacing the team with 13.9 PPG; he has scored 10 or more in eight straight games
Scouting the Opponent
– Drake sits atop the MVC with an 11-2 record under first-year head coach Darian DeVries
– The Bulldogs have picked up wins over Boise State, New Mexico State and San Diego
– Three Bulldogs are in double figures, led by Nick McGlynn
– McGlynn leads Drake with 15.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game
– Nick Norton checks in with 14.7 PPG while D.J. Wilkins has averaged 10.5 points
Men’s Basketball welcomes Drake for West Side Night
Aces meet Bulldogs Wednesday
