UE Women’s Basketball Hosts Eureka in Exhibition Play on Monday

The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will have their first exhibition of the 2015-16 season when the Purple Aces host Eureka College on Monday, Nov. 2. The contest will be held at the Ford Center with tipoff set for 7:00 p.m. CST.

 WHAT TO KNOW

• This is the first of two exhibition games this season for the Aces
• UE returns eight players, and three starters from last year’s team that advanced to the Missouri Valley Conference Semifinals
• Junior guard Sara Dickey set the Evansville single game and single season points record last season
• The Aces are led by fifth year head coach Oties Epps
• UE will also host Berea College in an exhibition (Nov. 7).

THE OPPONENT

This is the first game action for Eureka this season. The Red Devils, a Division III school, finished 14-13 last season including a 10-8 mark in conference play. The team is projected to finish fifth in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Eureka returns seven letterwinners (three starters).

THE COACHES

Evansville is guided by fifth year head coach Oties Epps. The team had an increased win total in each of the first three years in the Epps era. Last season, the Aces advanced to the MVC Semifinals for the first time since 2008-09.

Eureka is led by second year head coach Steve Thompson.

 

PRESEASON POLLS AND ACCOLADES

UE was projected to finish sixth in the MVC Preseason Coaches Poll. Sara Dickey, who was named to the MVC All-Conference team each of the last two seasons, was selected to the MVC Preseason All-Conference for the second consecutive time.

 

WELCOME BACK

The Aces have eight returning players including three seniors (Sara Dickey, sophomore guard Taloni Reese and junior forward Sasha Robinson). Additionally, the team brings back sophomore forward Peyton Langston, sophomore forward Kenyia Johnson, and senior guard Laura Friday.

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

UE has six newcomers on the roster this year (freshman forward Jordan Campbell, freshman guard Camille Coleman, freshman forward Kerri Gasper, freshman forward Tattenai Hall, freshman forward Erin Sinnott, and junior guard Camary Williams). The Aces will also benefit from having sophomore guard Aaliyah Gaines and junior forward Ashley Hawkins eligible after their redshirt seasons.

ONE OF A KIND

Evansville will have only one senior on this year’s roster, Laura Friday. A native of Marion, Ind., Friday has played each of the last three seasons for UE and has a career .354 three point shooting percentage.

 

ROAD WARRIORS

The Aces will be on the road for their first six games of the regular season. Evansville has three consecutive contests in the state of Ohio (Xavier, Miami (Ohio), Cleveland State), two away in the Cal Poly / Share SLO Holiday Tournament and one more contest in Ohio at Bowling Green. The Aces’ first home game of the regular season will be hosting regional foe, Murray St. (Dec. 5).

500 WITHIN SIGHT

The UE women’s basketball team has a program wins milestone within reach this season. The Purple Aces enter the year with 483 wins, just 17 victories shy of reaching the 500 win plateau.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

The 2015-16 season marks the five year anniversary of the Ford Center’s opening. Evansville’s first win in the building was a 63-56 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 2, 2011. UE won 10 straight games at the Ford Center from Feb. 8, 2014 to Jan. 12, 2015.