Click here to view the 2009-10 schedule.

There’s a definite post-season look to the University of Evansville 2009-10 men’s basketball schedule. Eleven teams that account for 17 games on the Purple Aces’ upcoming slate reached one of the four post-season tournaments in March. So did the Aces, who produced the nation’s eighth most improved Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) last season and played in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Five of UE’s 10 non-conference opponents advanced to post-season play, led by 26-6 Butler, 22-10 Alabama State and 25-9 Western Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. Ohio Valley Conference champion Tennessee-Martin made the NIT, and OVC runnerup Austin Peay played in the CollegeInsider tournament. Butler, with all five starters returning from its Horizon League championship team, comes to Roberts Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 21. Alabama State, the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament champion, makes its first appearance in Evansville on Friday, Dec. 4. Four days later, the Aces travel to Bowling Green, Ky. to play defending Sun Belt Conference champion Western Kentucky. UT-Martin comes to Roberts Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 19 and Evansville closes out the non-conference schedule Dec. 22 at Austin Peay.

“It’s a very competitive non-conference schedule that will prepare us for league play,” said Coach Marty Simmons, whose team won 17 games last season after winning nine in his first year as head coach. Season ticket orders are now being taken at the Carson Center ticket office, or by calling (812) 488-ACES.

The schedule begins with a pair of Saturday exhibition games--against Hanover Oct. 31, and seven days later on Homecoming Weekend against Kentucky Wesleyan Nov. 7. Oakland City comes to Roberts Stadium for the regular season opener Nov. 14, followed by SIU Edwardsville Nov. 18, then Butler, and a road game against Miami (Ohio) Nov. 28. December begins with Tennessee Tech on the road Dec. 1, followed by NCAA teams Alabama State and Western Kentucky in back to back games. After nine days off for final exams, the Aces return home to play Georgia Southern Dec. 17 and Tennessee-Martin Dec. 19, then close out the non-conference schedule at Austin Peay. The Aces also play a home non-conference game Feb. 19 or 20 in the annual ESPNU BracketBusters series. UE’s BracketBusters opponent will be announced around Feb. 1.

The first of 18 MVC games for Evansville is Tuesday, Dec. 29 at home against Missouri State. The rest of the MVC home schedule includes Creighton on Sunday, Jan. 3; Illinois State on Wednesday, Jan. 6; Southern Illinois on Saturday, Jan. 16; Drake on Wednesday, Jan. 20; Indiana State on Sunday, Jan. 31; Bradley on Saturday, Feb. 6; Wichita State on Tuesday, Feb. 9, and Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Feb. 23. The State Farm MVC Tournament is March 4-7 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Seven of the 10 Missouri Valley Conference teams advanced to post-season tournaments in 2009, including Northern Iowa in the NCAA, Creighton and Illinois State in the NIT, Wichita State in the College Basketball Invitational, and Evansville, Bradley and Drake in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Evansville’s series with 2009 NCAA champion North Carolina takes a year off before resuming in 2010-11 with a home game at Roberts Stadium.

Simmons has six returning lettermen (Trevor Gregory, Kavon Lacey, Pieter van Tongeren, James Haarsma, Clint Hopf, Denver Holmes) and eight newcomers (Bryan Bouchie, Andy Chinn, Ned Cox, Monie Hudson, Derek Johnson, Lewis Jones, Colt Ryan, Troy Taylor) on the 2009-10 team, which is hoping to maintain the progress that came last season with Evansville’s first winning season since 2000 and first post-season appearance since 1999.

“The guys who graduated did a great job of laying the foundation for our future because of their work ethic,” Simmons said. “Hopefully, the young guys were watching.”

University of Evansville 2009-10 Men’s Basketball Schedule

Saturday, Oct. 31 HANOVER (exhibition) 2:05

Saturday, Nov. 7 KENTUCKY WESLEYAN (exhibition) 7:05

Saturday, Nov. 14 OAKLAND CITY 7:05

Wednesday, Nov. 18 SIU-EDWARDSVILLE 7:05

Saturday, Nov. 21 BUTLER 7:05

Saturday, Nov. 28 At Miami of Ohio TBA

Tuesday, Dec. 1 At Tennessee Tech TBA

Friday, Dec. 4 ALABAMA STATE 7:05

Tuesday, Dec. 8 At Western Kentucky TBA

Thursday, Dec. 17 GEORGIA SOUTHERN 7:05

Saturday, Dec. 19 TENNESSEE-MARTIN 7:05

Tuesday, Dec. 22 At Austin Peay TBA

Tuesday, Dec. 29 •MISSOURI STATE 7:05

Friday, Jan. 1 •At Northern Iowa 7:05

Sunday, Jan. 3 •CREIGHTON 2:05

Wednesday, Jan. 6 •ILLINOIS STATE 7:05

Sunday, Jan. 10 •At Indiana State (MVC TV) 12:35

Wednesday, Jan. 13 •At Illinois State 7:05

Saturday, Jan. 16 •SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 7:05

Wednesday, Jan. 20 •DRAKE 7:05

Saturday, Jan. 23 •At Bradley 2:05

Wednesday, Jan. 27 •At Missouri State 7:05

Sunday, Jan. 31 •INDIANA STATE 2:05

Wednesday, Feb. 3 •At Creighton 7:05

Saturday,Feb. 6 •BRADLEY (MVC TV) 4:05

Tuesday, Feb. 9 •WICHITA STATE 7:05

Saturday, Feb. 13 •At Southern Illinois TBA

Wednesday, Feb. 17 •At Wichita State 7:05

Fri./Sat., Feb. 19/20 BRACKETBUSTERS TBA

Tuesday, Feb. 23 •NORTHERN IOWA 7:05

Saturday, Feb. 27 •At Drake TBA

March 4-7, State Farm MVC Tournament at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.

•MVC Game

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