• Game Notes (PDF)
• Free Live Game Audio (Courtesy of WUEV)
• Free Live Game Video (HorizonLeagueNetwork.tv)
• Live Game Stats (Courtesy of Butler)
The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will renew its long-time rivalry with in-state foe Butler on Wednesday night, as the Purple Aces will travel north to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis in search of its first victory of 2009-10. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. central time and Wednesday’s game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.
Evansville (0-5 overall) will be trying to bounce back from Saturday’s 70-65 loss to Kennesaw State in the consolation game of the DoubleTree Classic in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A game-ending 12-2 run by Kennesaw State spoiled another balanced performance by the Purple Aces on Saturday, as junior guard Stephanie Bamberger paced four Purple Aces in double-figures with 13 points. On the season, offensive balance has been one of UE’s strengths so far, as eight different Purple Aces will enter Wednesday night’s game at Butler averaging over 5.5 points per game, led by senior guard Amy Gallagher (9.2 ppg).
Butler will bring a 2-3 overall record into Wednesday’s game after dropping both games of its trip to the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic over the weekend to Syracuse (80-64) and Northern Iowa (65-60). Senior forward Susan Lester, who was named to the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic all-tournament team, paces three Bulldogs in double-figures this season with an average of 14.2 points per game. Junior guard Brittany Bowen (12.2 ppg) and senior forward Melanie Thornton (12.0 ppg) also currently average double-figures for the Bulldogs.
Butler leads the all-time series over UE, 20-15, including posting a 70-52 victory over UE last year at Roberts Stadium in Evansville. Evansville will be trying to snap a three-game losing streak to the Bulldogs in Indianapolis on Wednesday night, as the Purple Aces have not won at Hinkle Fieldhouse since the start of the 2000-01 season (a 69-54 victory).
Following Wednesday’s game against Butler, Evansville will return home to host Saint Louis University on Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. That game will feature UE’s annual “Teddy Bear Drop” at halftime, with all bears collected going to the children at Riley’s Children’s Hospital in Newburgh. Fans who bring a new or gently-used teddy bear to Sunday’s game will receive free admission. The bears will then be tagged, and at halftime, fans can throw their bears onto the court for a chance to win a prize from the UE athletics department. All bears collected will then be taken to the children at Riley’s Children’s Hospital by the team to help brighten the holiday season.
