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The University of Evansville's first afternoon home game of the season comes Saturday when the Purple Aces take on the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State University at 2:05 CST at Roberts Stadium.

It's 'Take A Kid To The Game' day, with all boys and girls 13 and younger with a voucher admitted free with a paying adult (up to four kids per adult).  Vouchers were given out at local schools this week, and are also available at the Carson Center ticket office Friday.

Saturday's game is the second in four weeks between Evansville and Middle Tennessee.  The Blue Raiders beat the Aces on Nov. 24 at Murfreesboro, 82-70. It’s the first time Evansville has played a non-conference opponent twice in the same season since 2006-07, when the Aces lost at Lipscomb 67-64 in the season opener and then won at Roberts Stadium five weeks later, 80-73.

Game one was all Evansville in the first half, and all MTSU in the second half.  Colt Ryan scored 23 points in the first half on 9-for-13 shooting (5-for-7 from 3-point range) to give the Aces a 36-27 lead in the final two minutes of the half.  They led 36-30 at halftime.  The Blue Raiders’ size began to make a difference in the second half, and they turned a 44-39 Evansville lead into a 69-55 Middle Tennessee lead during a 10-minute span midway through the second half.  Ryan tied his career high with 31, but the Blue Raiders outscored Evansville 52-34 in the second half and outrebounded UE 24-13 in the second half.  Five Raiders scored in double figures (Rod Emanuel 15, Trevor Ottley 14, Trevor Charles 12, Kyle Hunt 11, Jason Jones 10).

Senior Pieter van Tongeren hit eight of 10 shots and scored a career-high 18 points in last Saturday's 90-56 win over Maryland Eastern Shore.  That followed a 4-for-6 shooting performance three days earlier against North Carolina.  van Tongeren’s 12-for-16 shooting last week raised his league-leading shooting percentage to 69 percent.  Piet is 29-for-42 from the floor.  He qualifies for the MVC statistics since he’s averaging at least three field goals per game.  He must make five per game to qualify for NCAA national minimums.

•Freshman Jordan Jahr played a total of only 24 minutes in Evansville's two games last week, but was UE's top rebounder in both.  He had five points and six rebounds in 15 minutes against North Carolina, and nine points and six rebounds in just nine minutes against Maryland Eastern Shore. Jahr is averaging 4.9 points and 3.1 rebounds for the season.

UE players who rank in the top 5 in the Missouri Valley Conference: Pieter van Tongeren is number one in field goal percentage (.690), Colt Ryan is second in 3-pointers per game (2.6), third in scoring (15.3), and third in 3-point field goal percentage (.477); Denver Holmes is fourth in assists (3.6) and fourth in assist/turnover ratio (+1.8), and Kenneth Harris is fourth in offensive rebounds (2.5).

UE is offering a ‘Four-Pack For $44’ ticket package, good for weekend games against Creighton Jan. 9, Bradley Jan. 23, Southern Illinois Jan. 29 and Illinois State Feb. 26. Fans save $8 by purchasing the 4-Pack.  It’s available through the UE ticket office at (812) 488-ACES.

Spread the word! All former Aces’ basketball coaches, players, student managers, student trainers, cheerleaders and dance team members are invited to join our fans for the final men’s game at Roberts Stadium, on Saturday, Feb. 26 against Illinois State and the final women’s game on Saturday, March 5 against Wichita State.  Help us celebrate 55 years in Roberts Stadium.  For more information, go to ‘The Final Season At Roberts Stadium’ icon on the front page at GoPurpleAces.com.

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