EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Western Illinois has been named the opponent for the University of Evansville in this season’s Sears BracketBusters game, it was announced Monday evening.
 
The Aces will square off against the Leathernecks on Saturday February 18 at the Ford Center.  Start time for the game will be announced as soon as it becomes available.
 
This will mark the ninth season of the BracketBusters and the eight appearance for Evansville, who has won three of its first eight games.  The Aces fell last season by a 72-47 tally at Murray State while their last win in the competition came in 2009 in the form of a 75-61 win over Miami (Ohio).
 
Western Illinois, a member of the Summit League, has put up a 12-8 mark thus far and has gone 6-5 in league play.  It is a solid turnaround from a season ago when WIU went 7-23.
 
Part of the improvement by the Leathernecks can be attributed to freshman Obi Emegano, who has averaged 14.2 points per game thus far.  Junior Terell Parks has been shooting the ball at a 64.3% clip this season, ranking in the top five in the nation.  He has hit 101 out of 157 attempts.
 
Evansville will look to put a halt to a two-game skid on Wednesday evening as it travels to Bradley for a 7 p.m. matchup.