Aces women’s basketball returns to RV Vanderbilt for the first time in 30 years

NASHVILLE — The University of Evansville women’s basketball team rekindles a series that last occurred in 1994 on Saturday afternoon.

The Purple Aces got back in the win column in a big way against SIUE on Sunday. UE had the program’s first game with three 20+ point scorers since at least the 2006-07 season in the double-digit win over the Cougars. Evansville’s scoring leader senior guard Julia Palomo set a career-high in 37 minutes of play with 26 points. One of four seniors on the Aces roster, Palomo shot a staggering 85.7% on Sunday missing only two field goals through 40 minutes. Along with setting a new career-high Palomo also matched her season-high in steals taking away three balls from SIUE.Saturday’s game will be UE’s only chance to play a Power Four opponent in the 2024-25 regular season. It will be Evansville’s first visit to Memorial Hall in 30 years as the program last faced the Vanderbilt Commodores in 1994 in a 121-64 loss. Tomorrow’s game will feature a marquee freshman match-up with the two most consistent scoring newcomers. Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes currently leads all freshmen in Division I basketball with 20.2 points per game. UE guard Camryn Runner follows right behind Blakes among freshmen with 19.6 points per game as both are early contenders for National Freshman of the Year.

Between Blakes and sophomore forward Khamil Pierre the Commodores are the only team in the nation with two starters averaging over 20 points per game. Vanderbilt comes into this weekend with a 9-1 overall record with the team’s only loss coming to #17 Michigan State at the end of November in the Acrisure Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. With their impressive start to the season, the Commodores received 15 votes in the AP Top 25 poll for the sixth week of the 2024-25 season. Saturday’s game is Vanderbilt’s first after 10 days away from the court following an 88-70 victory at Miami (Fla.).

With a 21-point and rebound-leading performance on Sunday, Runner earned her third MVC Freshman of the Week honor. Runner is one of three Aces to have earned 3 weekly honors in their first season at UE. She is only two weekly honors away from tying the most by an Evansville freshman in one season which was program points leader Sara Dickey during the 2013-14 season. Against the Cougars Runner recorded 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block through 36 minutes on the floor. The freshman also did not record a turnover on Sunday for her first 1.00 assist/turnover ratio.