EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville Athletics Director John Stanley has announced the non-conference portion of the Purple Aces’ 2011-12 men’s basketball schedule.
"We believe this challenging schedule will provide great entertainment for Aces fans who attend our games at the Ford Center,” Stanley said.
The Aces impressive 11-game non-conference slate features eight home games along with three road contests with opponents coming from at least nine different leagues. Evansville’s upcoming season will also coincide with the opening of the brand new downtown arena.
Prior to opening up the regular season, the Purple Aces will host a pair of exhibition games beginning with DePauw on October 29 and the University of Illinois Springfield on November 4.
Just eight days later, the regular season begins with a pair of high profile home games. Two-time defending NCAA tournament finalist Butler comes to Evansville on November 12 before intrastate rival Indiana arrives in town just four days later. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA title game in each of the last two seasons, most recently falling to the University of Connecticut in March of 2011. The Hoosiers will make their first trip to Evansville since the 1995-96 season.
Following a home game against Oakland City, Evansville will take to the road for the first of three non-conference trips beginning with a game at UIC on Nov. 23. A second NCAA Tournament team from last season arrives at the new arena on the 29th as defending SWAC champion Alabama State will battle the Aces. Alabama State’s late run last season propelled them into the NCAA Tournament where they fell to UT San Antonio in the opening round.
Mountain West foe and future Big East program TCU makes its first trip to Evansville on December 3. The Horned Frogs are the lone team on the schedule that the Aces have not previously faced.
On December 6, a road trip to North Carolina awaits the Purple Aces. The Tar Heels made a run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last year before falling to the University of Kentucky, 76-69.
Evansville returns home for a pair of mid-December games, beginning with North Carolina A&T on the 10th and Tennessee Tech seven days later. The Golden Eagles played in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in 2011, falling just short of an NCAA berth in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game.
Prior to Christmas, UE will take to the road one more time, traveling to Oxford, Ohio to play the RedHawks of Miami University. Miami advanced to postseason play, gaining a spot on the CBI. The Purple Aces have one more non-conference home game, set to take place in February as part of ESPN’s Bracketbuster program. The date and opponent for that contest will be set at a later date.
