Tuesday, January 19, 2016 8:00 p.m.
Ford Center, Evansville, Ind.

The Evansville Purple Aces are having probably their best season since dominating the MCC/Horizon League back in the early 1990s. At 15-3, their only three losses have come vs. Providence, at Arkansas, and at Wichita State. The trouble is, they don’t really have a signature win to gauge what they’re really capable of; their best wins this year have been against UC Irvine (neutral) and Belmont (at home). They’re essentially the same team as last year—the one that won the CIT—except with another year of experience running the same Marty Simmons-authored motion offense.

Led by prolific scorer D.J. Balentine at guard and profuse rebounder Egidijus Mockevicius at center, the best inside-outside combo in the MVC has been playing the same act together almost as long as The Blue Man Group. Balentine, the 6’3” senior guard, has scored 2168 career points going into Tuesday’s game, and is averaging 21.2 this season on an improved 47.8% shooting from the field. At 6’10”, Mockevicius is the dominant big man in the MVC in his senior season. He’s averaging 17.1 ppg and 14.3 rebounds this season, both figures about 35% higher than last year. You want to talk about a double-double machine? Mockevicius has only failed to get a double-double in four of UE’s 19 games this season.

The Aces’ supporting cast is also back from last season, featuring 6’0” junior guard Jaylon Brown (11.1 ppg), 6’4” senior guard Adam Wing (7.9 ppg), and 6’5” junior guard/forward Blake Simmons (5.7 ppg). Coming off the bench are 6’6” junior guard Mislav Brzoja (8.3 ppg), 6’7” forward David Howard, and two newcomers: 6’7” juco forward Willie Wiley, and 5’11” freshman guard Harris Brown.

Last season, Loyola shocked Evansville with a one-point win at the buzzer in Southern Indiana, but dropped their game at Gentile Arena with Milton Doyle recovering from his ankle injury. The Aces are improved since then, and despite a shocking win at Northern Iowa on Saturday, the Ramblers are searching for a consistent winning formula. Evansville is 9-0 at home this season, and demolished Bradley by 42 points in their game immediately before the Braves beat Loyola in Chicago.

Loyola game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/loy ... 118aaa.pdf

Evansville game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/loy ... a_evan.pdf

TV/Streaming video: CBS Sports Net

Vegas odds: Aces by 15.5

Another stunner in Evansville would sure go a long way toward keeping us out of Thursday. Porter needs to come up with some way to contain Big E on the boards. The Aces are a good team, but we need to challenge them.

I couldn't watch Saturday's game at UNI, and I can't watch tonight. Hoping that is some kind of magic karma for us.

_________________
MBB Scholarship Chart

Well, if the spread means anything and it apparently did not in the NI game, it has dropped by TWO points to 13 1/2 from 15 1/2. Still that is a huge mountain to climb. Their big center has the edge on ours--BUT if the rest come out hitting, we may overcome the odds as we did in Cedar Falls. All seven of our guards/forwards MUST hit big shots . Maybe !!!

We're hanging with them, 19-17 UE with 7:42 left in the 1st, but we've committed 6 fouls (including 2 by Doyle) to their 2. That could be a problem, as they're a good and prolific free throw shooting team.

I know this is real minor but Milt needs to stop trying to draw contact every time he has a break away lay up. Just go up and not worry about the contact if they foul you they foul you. I have seen that and him not get the call and miss because of it.

Well, that was a very foolish way to end the half. Not a big fan of the technical foul, especially when you're on an 8-0 run.

Rough way to end the half after having some solid momentum!

Also... Fun watching Doyle get hot AND take control!

Very bad start to the half. Missing lay ups come on

This thing is way out of hand now. Smith has two threes, and the rest of the team is like 0 for 11.

Cal playing is ridiculous