Game time set for 7 p.m.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Looking for its first win inside Carver Arena since 2016, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team travels to Bradley on Wednesday evening. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT with the Purple Aces Radio Network and ESPN+ having the coverage.
Setting the Scene
– UE looks to halt a few different streaks when it takes on the Braves
– Sitting at 0-6 in the MVC for the third time in four years, the Purple Aces look to earn their first league triumph of the season
– Evansville has dropped its last nine contests against the Braves and has lost the last three games by 31 points or more
Last Time Out
– Things came down to the wire on Saturday against Illinois State with the Redbirds using a late run to take a 69-61 win
– With 4:07 remaining, UE held a 60-58 lead before ISU completed the game on an 11-1 rally
– Marvin Coleman II and Kenny Strawbridge Jr. finished the game with 16 points apiece
Keep on Rolling
– Over his last seven games, Marvin Coleman II is averaging 15.1 points per game while raising his season average from 5.4 points to 9.4
– He scored a career-best 22 points at Missouri State on Jan. 4 and followed that with 16 points against Illinois State
– Coleman reached double figures just once in the first 10 games before doing so in six of the last seven games
– His effort at Missouri State bested his old record of 18 points, which came earlier this season against Campbell
– Along with his scoring, Coleman has been depended on for extra minutes and has played at least 35 minutes in each of the last seven contests
The Mark of Consistency
– Kenny Strawbridge Jr. scored 16 points against Illinois State and has chipped in at least 8 points in 16 out of 17 games
– He continues to lead the Aces while sitting 8th in the MVC with his season average of 16.2 points per game
– Finishing with a game-high 22 points at Indiana State, he reached the 20-point mark for the 7th time this season
– In the Dec. 21 game against Bellarmine, Strawbridge was held scoreless in the opening half but rebounded with 22 points in the final 20 minutes
Scouting the Opponent
– Bradley comes into Wednesday’s game with an overall mark of 11-6 while going 4-2 through their opening six MVC games
– The Braves are a perfect 9-0 at home while going 2-6 in road and neutral site contests
– On Saturday, Bradley defeated Valparaiso by a final of 88-66 inside Carver Arena
– Rienk Mast leads four double digit scorers with an average of 12.9 points per game while pacing the squad with 8.3 rebounds
– Malevy Leons is averaging 11.2 points while Duke Deen and Ja’Shon Henry contribute 10.7 and 10.1 PPG, respectively
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