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The University of Evansville has played two nationally ranked opponents on the road this season. Now the Purple Aces get a shot at one of the nation's nine unbeaten teams. The 9-2 Aces square off with 12-0 Illinois State Wednesday at 2:05 CST at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill.

THE TOP 10 THINGS TO KNOW...VS. ILLINOIS STATE DEC. 31

1. Wednesday’s game is the 37th in the Evansville-Illinois State series. The Redbirds lead 23-13, including a sweep of the Aces last season. Illinois State has won four in a row at Redbird Arena against Evansville. The Aces have lost 15 consecutive games to Missouri Valley Conference teams away from Roberts Stadium (0-13 on the road, 0-2 in MVC Tournament).

2. Evansville's road schedule has been a matter of quality over quantity. The only two road games have been against 10-1 and 25th ranked Butler, and 12-0 and number one ranked North Carolina. Evansville's third road contest comes Wednesday against unbeaten Illinois State. The 12-0 Redbirds are ranked #41 in this week’s AP national poll along with MVC member Creighton. Beginning with the Redbirds, Evansville (9-0 at home, 0-2 on the road) plays three of its next four games away from home.

3. At 9-2 overall, the Aces are off to their best start since the 1994-95 team was 9-2. They’ve already matched their victory total from last season, when UE finished 9-21 in Marty Simmons' first year as head coach. A victory Wednesday at Illinois State would leave Evansville at 10-2 for the first time since the 1988-89 NCAA Tournament team won 11 of its first 13.

4. Senior leadership has been a big reason for Evansville's turnaround this season. The Aces' three seniors–Shy Ely, Jason Holsinger and Nate Garner–are also the team's top three in minutes played and points per game. Holsinger and Ely scored 16 each and Garner added 15 in UE's 76-65 win over Drake on Sunday.

5. The Aces have scored 70 points or more in seven consecutive games. That hasn't happened since their MVC championship season of 1998-99, when they topped 70 in 12 straight games. Last season, the Aces were last in the MVC in scoring with less than 60 points per game. This season, they’re averaging 73.1.

6. Jason Holsinger hit three 3-pointers in a four-minute stretch Sunday to spark a 12-0 run that propelled the Purple Aces to their win over Drake. His third and final ‘3’ moved Holsinger into the MVC's top 10 in career three-point field goals with 248. He needs just three more to break Marcus Wilson’s school record of 250 career 3-pointers.

7. Shy Ely has four double-doubles this season following Sunday’s 16-point, 12-rebound performance against Drake. He had none before this season. Ely is third in the Valley in scoring with a 17.2 average, trailing Josh Young of Drake (18.2) and Booker Woodfox of Creighton (17.6).

8. The Aces have two 1,000-point scorers. Jason Holsinger is 23rd with 1,206 points, and his next target is his head coach, Marty Simmons, who scored 1,265 points in just two years at UE. Shy Ely is 42nd with 1,025 points.

9. Sophomore guard Kavon Lacey, a 41 percent shooter last season, is shooting 53 percent this year after hitting seven of eight shots and scoring 14 points Sunday against Drake. Four of the team’s top seven scorers are shooting better than 50 percent.

10. Freshman Kaylon Williams has moved up to number two in the MVC in assists with 4.5 per game. He made a career-high 13 on Sunday against Drake. That was just two shy of the UE record.

For a complete look at the game notes, click on the Game Notes link here at GoPurpleAces.com.