It's been awhile since the University of Evansville men's basketball team hit the road, but that happens three times in the next 10 days, beginning Wednesday against the University of Northern Iowa Panthers. Game time is 7:05 CST at Cedar Falls between the 5-6 Purple Aces and 9-3 Panthers, and the game can be heard on the UE Radio Network.
THIS SERIES TURNS AROUND
In a five-year period of time, from 1997-98 through 2001-02, Evansville won nine of its 11 games against UNI. In the latest five-year period, however, from 2002-03 through 2006-07, UNI won eight of its 10 games against Evansville. In fact, the Panthers take a five-game winning streak against Evansville into Wednesday’s game at McLeod Center. Overall, Evansville still leads the series, 17-13. The Aces’ most recent victory at Cedar Falls came in 2001-02. Five straight losses at UNI have followed for the Aces.
GOOD START FOR THE PANTHERS
Last Saturday was a good day for road teams. In the Missouri Valley Conference opening day, roadies won all four games. Northern Iowa outscored Bradley 25-9 in the first half at Peoria, and held off the Braves to win 59-46. Eric Coleman came off the bench and led the Panthers with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Jared Josten added 16 points, and the UNI defense held Bradley to 32 percent shooting. The Panthers also had a big advantage at the free throw line, outscoring Bradley 18-6.
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR?
The leading early contender for MVC 6th Man of the Year is Northern Iowa senior Eric Coleman. The 6-6 center started all 31 games and led the Panthers in scoring last season at 13.1, and was second team all-MVC. This season, he has come off the bench in 11 of his 12 games, and is fifth on the team in minutes played. Despite the limited minutes, Coleman is still UNI’s leading scorer (12.4) and rebounder (9.0).
DIG OUT THE PURPLE UNIFORMS
Wednesday’s game will be Evansville’s first on the road since a Dec. 11 loss at Valparaiso. Beginning with UNI, three of the Aces’ next four games are on the road. Evansville is 4-3 at home and 1-3 on the road this season.
SYCAMORES SHUT DOWN UE’S OFFENSE
The key to Indiana State’s win last Saturday over Evansville was defense. The Aces shot a season-low 34 percent and were outscored 45-30 in the second half. The only two Aces in double figures were junior guard Jason Holsinger, with 17 points, and freshman center Pieter van Tongeren, with 13.
THE THREE-AWARD GUY
Jason Holsinger finished the month of December in award-winning fashion. He was the Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week Dec. 18, the MVC Player of the Week Dec. 24, and the Prairie Farms/MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week again on Dec. 27. Holsinger scored 24 points, the most by an Evansville player this season, and led all players with seven assists in the Aces’ win over Norfolk State on Dec. 22. He followed with a team-high 17 points and five rebounds last Saturday against Indiana State.
CHANGE AT THE TOP
Junior Shy Ely led the Aces in scoring through most of the non-conference season, but his 11.9 scoring average is now second to Jason Holsinger’s 13.5. In the last three games, Holsinger has scored 11, 24 and 17 points. Ely has scored 6, 15 and 3.
COACH MARTY SIMMONS
Evansville’s Dec. 5 victory over Princeton was the 100th in first-year coach Marty Simmons’ career. Simmons goes into the UNI game with a career record of 103-78. He was head coach one year at Wartburg (Iowa) University and five years at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, compiling a record of 98-73 in those six years. Simmons played two years at UE after transferring from Indiana University, and led the Aces to a conference championship in 1987 and the second round of the NIT in 1988, when he was the nation’s sixth leading scorer at 25.9. He was an assistant coach at UE for 11 years, and helped lead UE to three NCAA Tournaments (1992, 1993, 1999) and one NIT?(1994).
