Game Notes (PDF)
Free Live Game Audio (courtesy of WUEV)
After suffering its first loss in over a month last time out, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team will try to rebound on Friday night, as the Purple Aces will travel to Carbondale, Illinois to battle arch-rival Southern Illinois. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. and Friday’s game can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.
Evansville saw its school-record 10-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday, as the Creighton Bluejays used 50.0 percent shooting from the floor and a 48-25 advantage on the glass to knock off UE, 82-71. Now, the Purple Aces (16-8 overall and 10-3 in the MVC) will try to rebound and keep pace in the race for the top spot in the Missouri Valley Conference on Friday against the defending regular-season champion Southern Illinois Salukis.
Southern Illinois will bring an 8-15 overall record and 4-9 Valley mark into Friday’s game. The Salukis are currently in eighth place in the MVC standings after suffering a stretch in which SIU has lost six of the last seven games. Injuries have hurt the Salukis this year, as junior forward Jasmine Gibson, the team’s leading scorer at over 17.1 points per game, has missed the last 11 contests due to a stress fracture in her foot. In her place, senior guard Jayme Sweere has moved to forward and has averaged 14.1 points per game for SIU, including ranking fourth in the league in scoring in Valley play at 15.4 points per contest.
Senior guard Rebekah Parker continues to pace three Purple Aces in double-figures this year with an average of 14.5 points per game. Fellow senior Courtney Felke and junior forward Shannon Novosel also currently average double-figures for UE with 11.4 points per game apiece. Parker led UE with 20 points in the Purple Aces’ 77-67 victory over Southern Illinois on January 26, while Novosel added 15 points and Felke pitched in 10 as UE shot a season-best 53.4 percent from the floor. All-time, Southern Illinois holds a narrow 18-17 edge in the series over Evansville, although the Purple Aces have won 15 of the last 20 series meetings.
