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An outstanding regular season for the University of Evansville men's basketball team wraps up Saturday when the Purple Aces (17-11, 8-9) play at first place Northern Iowa (19-10, 13-4). The game will be televised by Fox Sports Net beginning at 7:30 CST.

THE TOP 10 THINGS TO KNOW...UE VS. UNI FEB. 28

1. Evansville leads the series against Northern Iowa 17-16, but the Aces have lost eight in a row to the Panthers. That is UE’s longest losing streak against an MVC team. The most recent Evansville victory came Jan. 7, 2005 at Roberts Stadium, 92-73. UE has lost six in a row at Cedar Falls since winning there on Feb. 19, 2002, 67-65.

2. Game one between UE and UNI on Jan. 13 went to the Panthers, 58-47. Those are the fewest points Evansville has scored this season. MVC scoring leader Shy Ely was held to 2-for-15 shooting and seven points. Second leading scorer Jason Holsinger went 1-for-7 and scored four points. Nate Garner (12), Kaylon Williams (11) and Denver Holmes (11) led UE in scoring. Ali Farokhmanesh (11) and Kwadzo Ahelegbe (10) topped UNI’s balanced attack. The Panthers outscored the Aces at the free throw line 16-8.

3. UE and UNI are two of the top three ‘overachievers’ in the MVC this season. Based on the MVC pre-season poll (voted on by league SIDs, media and coaches), the Panthers have jumped five spots, from a pre-season sixth to first. Wichita State has gone up four, from ninth to fifth. Evansville has gone up three, from eighth in the pre-season to fifth.

4. At stake for Evansville Saturday: A win leaves the Aces tied for fourth or fifth in the final standings, and gives UE the #4, #5 or #6 seed in the State Farm MVC Tournament, depending on the Drake-Bradley and Wichita State-Southern Illinois outcomes. A loss leaves the Aces fifth or sixth, giving them the #5 or #6 seed.

5. Since winning the MVC title 10 years ago, Evansville has finished in the top half of the league once, in 2003 when UE tied Bradley for fifth place with an 8-10 record. UE’s most recent .500 or better record in MVC play was 9-9 in 2001.

6. The only two teams that Evansville could play in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday, March 6 are Bradley in the 4-5 game at 2:30, or Illinois State in the 3-6 game at 8:30. This will be the first time since 2003 that Evansville has advanced directly to the MVC Tournament quarterfinals. In each of the past five years, they have had to play in the opening round (7 vs. 10, 8 vs. 9).

7. At stake for Northern Iowa Saturday: If Creighton loses at home to Illinois State Saturday afternoon, UNI will clinch its first MVC men’s basketball title and its first #1 seeding for the tourney before Saturday night’s game ever begins. Regardless of what Creighton does, a UNI win gives the Panthers the #1 seed. A UNI?loss and a Creighton win put UNI #2.

8. Here’s the latest Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), especially important this year since 128 teams will compete in post-season play (NCAA 64, NIT 32, College Basketball Invitational 16, CollegeInsider.com Tournament 16). The Aces’ current RPI is 83, fourth best in the Missouri Valley Conference. Here are the Valley RPI rankings: 45. Creighton; 66. Illinois State; 74. Northern Iowa; 83. Evansville; 98. Bradley; 143. Southern Illinois; 145. Drake; 149. Wichita State; 197. Missouri State; 213. Indiana State.

9. Seniors Jason Holsinger (1,418 points)?and Shy Ely (1,340) lead all active Missouri Valley Conference players in career scoring. Holsinger needs eight points to tie NBA All-Star Don Buse for 12th on UE’s career scoring list. Ely is 16th, and needs 16 to catch #15 Bob Barnett. Holsinger is fourth all-time in the MVC with 280 three-pointers. He needs three to catch #3 Michael Menser.

10. The stat that matters: Evansville is 16-4 when attempting more free throws than the opposition, 1-7 when the opponent goes to the line more often.

For a complete look at the game notes, click on the UNI Game Notes link on the men's basketball page here at GoPurpleAces.com.