Evansville Preview and Game Thread -- 1/11/2020

[JCT]

Saturday, January 11, 2020 3:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.


All through the off season, Evansville fans were confidently touting the huge leap their team was set to make this year under second year head coach Walter McCarty. The Aces finished last in the league last season, but showed glimmers of promise like when they defeated the two teams that shared the conference regular season title. The predictions of something special looked dead-on as the Purple Aces shocked the college basketball world on Nov. 12 by knocking off # 1 Kentucky, 67-64, at Rupp Arena.

Since the Kentucky win, it's been a steep downhill ride for the Purple Aces and their fans. The Aces struggled mightily between the Kentucky win and the Christmas break, going 6-4 against mediocre competition. But just before the kick off of conference play, the university put Coach McCarty on leave while investigating allegations of inappropriate behavior. And three games later, leading scorer DeAndre Williams was sidelined with a nagging back injury and considered day-to-day. Former Loyola assistant Bennie Seltzer has taken over in McCarty's place on the sidelines. UE has lost their first three conference games of the season, and reside alone in last place.

The Aces are likely to start four guards and a forward if Williams is unavailable. Six-five senior K.J. Riley, 6'4" junior Artur Labinowicz, 6'8" junior Sam Cutliffe, and 5'10" sophomore Shamar Giviance are the likely starters at guard, and 6'7" junior John Hall starts in the front court. Riley is second on the team in scoring a 12.4 ppg, and Labinowicz (11.2 ppg) and Cunliffe (10.9) also average in double figures.

DeAndre Williams, a 6'9" sophomore forward, averages 16.9 ppg and leads the team by far with 7.7 rebounds. He is the only Evansville player who shoots better than 46.5% from the field, the only Evansville player with 100+ rebounds, and the only Evansville player with more than 10 blocks. He is on a pathway (at least in muddled, very close conference standings) to be a top contender for Conference Player of the Year, and a lock as a sophomore on an underperforming team to make the Conference first team. So it's a huge deal if Williams is healthy and available to play against Loyola-- probably good for a 10-point or greater swing in the final score.

The Ramblers are coming off a hard-fought close loss against Drake in Des Moines. Drake's sophomore center Liam Robbins had a career day (20 points, 9 rebounds, 7 blocks), and sliced up the Rambler drives to the basket like an NBA prospect. Preseason Conference Player of the Year Cameron Krutwig was held in check mostly with man on man defense. It felt like Loyola was being clobbered, but the Ramblers had two good chances to tie the game in the closing seconds.

Loyola has now lost four games (out of their six total losses) by four points or fewer. Since point guard Keith Clemons joined to team after an early season injury, Loyola is 6-2 with the only two losses by three points.

The Ramblers need to take care of business in the next two games, which come against former Loyola assistants who just started coaching in the MVC, and bring banged-up or undermanned squads to Gentile Arena. Win these games decisively, avoid injury, and get into a comfortable offensive rotation now, because the schedule turns uphill after these two games.


Loyola game notes: https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/20 ... _11_20.pdf

Evansville game notes: https://gopurpleaces.com/documents/2020 ... df?id=7916

TV/Streaming video: ESPN+ https://www.espn.com/watch?id=ea1a740a- ... yola-US-EN

Live audio feed: https://loyolaramblers.com/watch/?Live=18&type=Live

Live stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=280006

Vegas odds: Loyola by 12

[ToledoRambler]

Excellent preview again!

If DeAndre Williams doesn’t play, I hope we start Pipkins and jump out to a big lead early. Evansville is on a confidence downswing and if we hit them in the mouth first, it might be too much for them to come back from. Go Blers!

[ahunte1]

If Aher starts again, I think we should run the backdoor alley oop play or similar for him to try and get him involved early.

[ToledoRambler]

Agreed, ahunt. I think we’ve tried doing that before to start off. But through 3 valley games, Aher has 68 minutes, 8 turnovers, and 9 points. I would not be surprised if we see him for 16 minutes off the bench. Hopefully he plays well, but if not, I hope the leash is short. We should win this game by 12 at least.

[ahunte1]

According to at least one rando on Twitter, Williams is out today.

[natetheskate]

spreads at 13-5,,,,,those guys usually know something

[kato669]

Somebody please explain our defensive strategy against the three? Two open threes by the aces shows it still ain't working

[ToledoRambler]

We should be up by 20 at this point... These guys are awful..

[kato669]

And we're up by 21

[ToledoRambler]

So...

Is Williamson hurt?
Is Williamson sick?
Is Williamson in the doghouse?