Aces to play multiple high-profile non-conference games
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Looking to build on the momentum from a trip to the CBI in 2024, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team has put together a challenging non-conference slate to open the 2024-25 campaign.
“We’re really excited about our non-conference schedule for several reasons.
For off, this year our schedule is filled with quality opponents from around our region,” UE Head Men’s Basketball Coach David Ragland said. “Secondly, our non-conference schedule is as competitive of a schedule our program has seen in a very long time. Lastly, we have 7 home contest which includes our exhibition as well as our home-coming game. Our goal is to be prepare for conference play and we achieved that with the quality opponents we have lined up.”
As the excitement for the upcoming season is building, season tickets are now on sale. Multiple price points are available to fit any budget and a new “Family Pack” is set to be unveiled later this week. For more information and to purchase your seasons tickets, call Logan Belz at 812-488-2623.
An exhibition game against Tiffin will take place on October 26. This will be a special match-up for Purple Aces assistant coach D.J. Balentine as his brother – Desmond – is entering his first season as the head coach of Tiffin. Desmond was an assistant coach for the Dragons over the previous two seasons.
Regular season play gets underway on November 5 with a huge road game at North Texas. The Mean Green have been one of the top mid-major programs in the nation over the past few seasons, making the NIT in each of the last three seasons while earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament in 2021. Highlighting the recent success was a 31-7 mark in 2022-23 as the Mean Green were the NIT Champions. This will be the second meeting between the programs with the first taking place at Roberts Stadium in 1995 (58-54 UE win).
Saturday, Nov. 9 will be homecoming as the Purple Aces welcome Brescia to the Ford Center. Four days later, UE is back on the road for its 4th-ever meeting against Middle Tennessee State. The Blue Raiders won 14 games last season with their last postseason berth coming in the 2022 CBI where MTSU won 26 games. The squads last met in the 2016 Challenge in Music City, which was played in Nashville, Tenn.
On the 16th, Evansville welcomes Radford in the second meeting between the programs. UE was triumphant in a 1996 home meeting. The Highlanders won 16 games a season ago after going 21-15 the year prior on their way to a spot in the CBI. Another high-profile game is on tap when the Aces travel to Ohio State on Nov. 19. The Buckeyes went 22-14 last year and were invited to the NIT. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance came in 2022. This is the 5th meeting between UE and OSU and first since 1976.
Following a busy start to the season, UE will play its ensuing four non-conference games at the Ford Center. One Missouri Valley Conference road game is set to be played during that period. The stretch opens on the 22nd when UE faces Green Bay. Led by first-year head coach Doug Gottlieb, the Phoenix won 18 games last year. Evansville is 7-2 against the Phoenix with the last contest coming in 2019. On the 24th, the Aces play host to Campbell. The Fighting Camels picked up 14 victories in 2023-24. The teams met up in 2022 with UE earning a 72-66 victory.
Western Kentucky makes the trip to Evansville for a December 7 game. The reigning Conference USA Tournament Champions were 22-12 last seasons and are set to meet up against the Aces for the 60th time overall in the first match-up since 2009. On Dec. 12, the Aces play host to Chattanooga. The Mocs won 21 games last year but it was the Aces who were victorious last November, erasing a 20-point deficit to pick up an 85-77 overtime win in McKenzie Arena.
Two road games complete the non-conference schedule beginning on Dec. 18 when UE returns to Texas to face UT-Arlington. The Mavericks have been a solid program in recent years and posted a 20-14 mark last season. This will be the second meeting between the squads. On the 21st, the Aces head to Muncie, Ind. to take on Ball State. The Cardinals earned 15 victories a season ago. Last November, Evansville was victorious by a 74-50 margin at the Ford Center.
