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Two old rivals who have been playing winning basketball this season get together at Evansville's Roberts Stadium Saturday night. It's 5-2 Western Kentucky against 6-1 Evansville, both of whom are unbeaten in December, tipping off at 7:05 CST.
THE TOP 10 THINGS TO KNOW...EVANSVILLE VS. WESTERN KENTUCKY DEC. 13
1. The Evansville-Western Kentucky series resumes after a two-year lull. The two teams played each year from 1998-99 through 2005-06, with each team winning four games. Overall, Western Kentucky has a 39-19 edge in the series that began in 1926.
2. At 6-1 overall and with six consecutive homecourt victories, the Aces are off to their best start in both categories since the 2004-05 team started off 6-1 and won eight straight home games to begin the season. If they win Saturday, the Aces will match their best start since 1981-82. That team won 10 of its first 11 and went on to capture the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance at the Division I level.
3. Evansville has won three of the last four games at Roberts Stadium against the Hilltoppers, most recently 68-62 on Dec. 11, 2004.
4. Western Kentucky beat Drake and San Diego to reach the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 last March before finally losing to UCLA. After losing two of their first three this season, the Toppers have reeled off wins over Southern Illinois, Louisville, Georgia and Tulane.
5. WKU’s Courtney Lee was the first round draft choice of the Orlando Magic. He has played in 17 of the Magic’s first 22 games, and is averaging 4.5 points per game.
6. Jason Holsinger’s career-high 31 points Wednesday against Eastern Illinois are the most by an Evansville player since Matt Webster scored 33 against Lipscomb two years ago.
7. Holsinger moved up two places Wednesday to 26th in UE career scoring with 1,157 career points. Next in line to join the 1,000-Point Club is Shy Ely, with 939 points.
8. Freshman James Haarsma just missed his second double-double, with 10 points and nine rebounds in 17 minutes Wednesday. He also made two key free throws in the final minute. Haarsma had 13 points and 12 rebounds Nov. 22 against Buffalo.
9. Evansville has attempted more and made more free throws than the opposition in all seven games. For the season, the Aces are 143-for-193 from the line. Opponents are 78-for-126.
10. The annual presentation of scholarships in honor of the victims of the Dec. 13, 1977 airplane crash that claimed the lives of the UE basketball team will be made at halftime Saturday. Recipients include baseball player Andy Pascoe (Marv & Edie Bates Scholarship), student manager Chad Harmon (Bohnert-Kirkpatrick-Kniese Scholarship), UE Circle K member Melissa Richter (Charles M. Shike Scholarship), and basketball players Ashlee Barrett and Zach House (Bobby Watson-Evansville Jaycees Scholarship).
For more, go to the Game Notes link on the men's basketball page here at GoPurpleAces.com
