Aces Full Slate Is Ready For 2018-19
 The full 2018-19 schedule for the University of Evansville men’s basketball team has now been released. The Purple Aces’ non-conference slate was released earlier in the summer while the Missouri Valley Conference slate was recently finalized.
Following the completion of the non-conference games, the Purple Aces open conference play on Wednesday, January 2 against Drake. The Bulldogs finished fourth in the league last season after being chosen to finish 10th. Evansville has won its last six home games against Drake. UE split the season series in 2018. Road play begins three days later with a trip to Illinois State on January 5. ISU was tied with Drake in league play with a 10-8 mark while earning the no. 3 seed in Arch Madness.
In a highly-anticipated contest, UE welcomes Loyola to the Ford Center on Wednesday, January 9. The Ramblers are coming off of their 2018 Final Four run while going 32-6 overall and 15-3 in the Valley. That is followed up with another popular home game as Indiana State heads to Evansville for an afternoon game on January 12. Evansville has won four of the last six home games against the Sycamores.
Road play continues with a midweek contest at Missouri State on January 16. The Bears were seventh in the league last season and will be under the direction of new head coach Dane Ford this season. A big weekend will be on tap when the Aces host Illinois State on Saturday, Jan. 19. It will mark the UE Athletics Hall of Fame weekend. The new class will be unveiled in the coming days.
Evansville will spend the next week in Iowa with a road tilt at Drake on Jan. 23 before a trek to Cedar Falls to play UNI on the 26th. The Panthers finished ninth in the league last season including a 60-50 Arch Madness win over the Purple Aces.
A pair of home games are on tap as the Aces complete the opening month of conference play beginning a contest against Bradley. Last season, the Braves finished conference play at 9-9 while winning 20 games. The quick home stint wraps up on February 2 when Valparaiso comes to town. UE swept the season series against the Crusaders last season.
The Aces stay in the region over the next week of play with its annual trips to Indiana State and Southern Illinois. UE heads to Terre Haute on Wednesday, Feb. 6 before moving on to Carbondale to open its season series against SIU three days later. The Salukis ranked second in the conference last year with an 11-7 mark while going 20-13 overall.
It is back home for Evansville on Feb. 13 against Missouri State before a Sunday contest against UNI on the 17th. Three of UE’s final four regular season games are on the road starting with games at Loyola (2/20) and Bradley (2/23). Senior Day for UE will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 27 against SIU. It marks the second season in a row that the Aces final home game has been against the Salukis. Last year, the Aces earned a dominant 75-44 win in the contest. A March 2 trip to Valparaiso will complete the regular season.
The final piece of the UE schedule has also fallen into place as the team has finalized its home games in the Maui Mainland. Evansville welcomes Kentucky Wesleyan to the Ford Center on Nov. 15 before facing Texas Southern at home on the 18th of November.
“Due to NCAA granting waivers to many of the Power 5 opening round host teams, the pool of Division I teams willing to participate in the Mainland portion of the event in Evansville was significantly affected,†UE Director of Athletics Mark Spencer said. “Our staff worked diligently with the Maui Mainland to bring two DI games to the Ford Center, but in the timeframe we were presented with, it was just not feasible for us with the season quickly approaching and teams finalizing their schedules.”
“We are thrilled to be able to welcome a regional rival to town in Kentucky Wesleyan while Texas Southern has been to four NCAA Tournaments and an NIT in the last five years.â€
