Game Notes
Free Live Game Audio (Courtesy of the Aces' Radio Network)
The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will put its season-best five-game winning streak on the line Thursday night, as the Purple Aces will travel to Peoria, Illinois to battle the Bradley University Braves. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. and Thursday’s game can be heard live on the Aces’ Radio Network (91.5 F.M.-WUEV, 100.5 F.M.-WSJD, 103.9 F.M.-WNTC).
Evansville will bring an 11-7 overall record and 5-2 Missouri Valley Conference mark into Thursday’s game. The Purple Aces have opened Valley play at 5-2 for the second-straight year, and a win on Thursday would give UE its best Valley start since opening the 1998-99 season 9-1 in league play. Overall, the 5-2 league start is tied for the second-best conference start in UE’s 13 years in the MVC.
Defense has been the key to UE’s hot Valley start, as the Purple Aces have given up an average of just 60.2 points per game over the last five games, while holding teams to 38.2 percent shooting from the floor. Offensively, all five UE starters have averaged double-figures during the Purple Aces’ current five-game winning streak, led by senior guard Rebekah Parker. Parker has averaged a team-best 16.6 points per game over the last five games, while pacing UE overall at 15.4 points per contest.
Bradley will bring a 7-11 overall record and 1-6 MVC mark into Thursday’s contest. The Braves are coming off of a 72-69 loss at Creighton last Sunday. Bradley nearly rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit to win on the road, despite playing without two of its top three scorers due to injuries. Sophomore guard Skye Johnson, who missed all of last season due to injury, currently paces Bradley’s healthy members with an average of 9.2 points, 3.3 assists, and a league-best 2.2 steals per game.
Bradley leads the all-time series over UE, 14-12. The two teams have alternated season series sweeps against one another over the last five years. The Braves took a pair of close games from Evansville last year, including posting a 67-65 victory over UE in Peoria last January.
