GAME NOTES (.pdf)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With just five games remaining in the regular season, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team hits the road this week, making stops at Missouri State and Wichita State. Tip-off versus the Lady Bears Friday is set for 7:05 p.m. CT, while the Purple Aces will take on the Shockers Sunday at 2:05 p.m.

CATCH THE ACTION

Friday	Evansville	Missouri State	7:05 p.m. CT Springfield, Mo./JQH Arena	Live Stats	Audio (91.5FM-WUEV)	Video
Sunday	Evansville	Wichita State	2:05 p.m. CT Wichita, Kan./Charles Koch Arena	Live Stats	Audio (91.5FM-WUEV)	Video

EVANSVILLE (5-19, 2-11 MVC) – The Aces come off a 1-1 weekend, earning an exciting, 48-45, win over Creighton, which snapped UE’s seven-game losing streak, last Thursday. UE fell, 55-51, to Drake on Sunday in a close battle. On the year, junior Samantha Heck and senior guard Briyana Blair lead the team offensively. Heck averages 13.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while Blair nearly averages a double-double with 10.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Juniors Meagan Collins (8.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Taylor Ware (6.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg) have also been steady contributors on the scoring end.

MISSOURI STATE (16-6, 9-3 MVC) –The Lady Bears enter Friday’s contest amidst a six-game winning streak, earning wins in every game since their last meeting with the Aces on Jan. 21. Missouri State comes off an 85-67 victory over Wichita State, giving MSU a tie with the Shockers for first place in the Valley. On the season, three MSU players are averaging double figures -- Casey Garrison (17.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, Christiana Shorter (13.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and Jaleshia Roberson (10.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg).

WICHITA STATE (15-8, 9-3 MVC) – After falling to Missouri State last weekend, the Shockers lost sole possession of first place, now sharing with the Lady Bears. After winning their first seven Valley games, the Shockers are 2-3 in the last five games. They will take on Southern Illinois Friday before meeting UE Sunday. Jessica Diamond (13.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg), Haleigh Lankster (12.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg) Chynna Turner (9.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg), and Jazimen Gordon (9.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) lead the balanced scoring attack.

THE COACHES
OTIES EPPS, (Wisconsin-Stout, ’02) 1st season at UE, 5-19 record
Epps is in his first season as Evansville’s head coach. Epps spent the last three seasons at the University of Wisconsin where he helped lead the Badgers to a 56-31 record and three postseason appearances. Wisconsin played in the WNIT in 2009 and 2011, and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2010 for the first time since 2002.

NYLA MILLESON, (Kansas State, ’85), 5th season at MSU, 83-67 record
Under Milleson's leadership, the Lady Bears won 46 games in the last two seasons, including a total of three postseason victories in the Women's National Invitation Tournament. Prior to taking the reins of the MSU program, Milleson guided Drury University to a 185-36 record in seven seasons, highlighted by a national runner-up finish in 2003-04.

JODY ADAMS, (Tennessee, ‘94), 4th season at WSU,  63-56 record
Under the direction of Adams, a former National Champion point guard, WSU has posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in a decade while moving up the Missouri Valley Conference standings in each of Adams' three years as head coach. The 2010-11 squad made a trip to the WNIT for the first time since 2000 while posting a 10-8 record in MVC competition, the program's best conference mark since the 1999-2000 campaign. 

A WIN OVER MISSOURI STATE WOULD…
Make UE 6-19 on the season … Make UE 3-11 in the MVC … Make UE 10-29 vs. MSU all-time … Make UE 447-568 all-time.

A LOSS TO MISSOURI STATE WOULD…
Make UE 5-20 on the season … Make UE 2-12 in the MVC … Make UE 9-30 vs. MSU all-time … Make UE 446-569 all-time.

THE SERIES
MSU – Missouri State leads the all-time series, 29-9, winning the last seven meetings. In their last meeting, MSU won, 74-49. UE’s last win over the Bears was on Feb. 10, 2008 when the Aces overcame MSU, 82-74, in Evansville.
WSU – Evansville leads the all-time series 20-17, winning 11 of the last 15 meetings. In their last meeting, WSU came away with a 57-51 win. UE split with the Shockers last season; The Aces won at Wichita on New Year’s Eve, 74-66, but fell at home, 65-50.

CALLING ON COLLINS
Junior Meagan Collins piloted Evansville to a 48-45 win over Creighton, leading the Aces with 18 points, going 6-for-8 from the field, and grabbed seven rebounds. With 1:32 remaining in the game, Collins knocked down a three in the corner that gave UE a two-point lead, then secured the rebound on the other end and sealed the win with a free throw after Creighton was forced to foul. Against Drake, Collins had another solid performance with nine points and five rebounds. The Boonville, Ind. native muscled a shot between two defenders to give UE their first lead of the game with just under five minutes to go, but unfortunately the Bulldogs regained the lead and edged UE, 55-51. On the week, Collins averaged a team-best 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, shooting .500 percent (9-18) from the floor and .778 (7-9) from the free throw line.

BOMBS AWAY
Against Drake (2/12), Evansville had a big game from behind the arc, knocking down a season-high 10 threes in a season-high 30 attempts. Senior Staci Gillum drained a career-high four threes (4-9), while junior Taylor Ware matched her career-high, going 2-for-2 from downtown. Junior Samantha Heck also made two (2-6). The last time UE hit 10 or more threes as a team was Dec 3, 2010 when the Aces topped Valparaiso, 69-67.

ON THE UPSWING
Snapping a 31-day and seven-game winless drought, Evansville overcame Creighton, 48-45, in front of 3,000 cheering elementary school kids last Thursday. The victory marked UE’s first over the Jays since the No. 9 Aces beat the No. 2 Jays, 47-45, in the title game of the 2009 MVC Tournament Championship.

ON THE ROAD
The Aces are in search of their first true road win of the season this week. UE’s only win outside the walls of Ford Center was against Troy University (11/26) at Maine, a neutral site. Last season, the Aces had success in Wichita, Kan. topping the Shockers, 74-66, in the New Year’s Eve Valley-opener.

STOP THIEF!
Briyana Blair is the MVC’s third-leading thief and ranks 80th in the nation averaging 2.5 steals per game. In just a season and a half, Blair has recorded 128 career steals. She is 11 steals away from breaking into UE’s career top-10 and tying Angie McGrew (1986-89) with 139. Last season, Blair logged 71 steals, ranking her sixth in UE’s single-season record book. She is currently three steals away from breaking into the single-season top-10 again, swiping 57 so far this year.

FAST B.R.E.A.K.
Nearly 3,000 students from the local school districts were in attendance at UE’s game vs. Creighton as part of the Future Purple Aces Fast B.R.E.A.K. (Basketball Reinforcing Education to Area Kids) program. The program helps young kids apply the subject of math to real-life situations using the game of basketball. UE has won their last two Fast B.R.E.A.K. games, topping CU this year and edged Butler, 51-49 (12/7) in 2010.

A STREAK-FREE SHINE
In Evansville’s last road game, UE dominated the glass at Northern Iowa (2/4), outrebounding the Panthers 42-29 while outscoring UNI 14-0 on second chances. The +13 rebounding margin matched a season-best for the Aces, done twice before in wins over Eastern Kentucky (12/2) and Murray State (12/10).

BUILDING BLOCKS
In her third season of play, Samantha Heck is climbing up Evansville’s career blocks list, totaling 52 so far. She currently ranks 8th all-time, moving up a spot after recording three vs. Creighton (2/9), and needs three more to tie Kathy Sloan (1985-87) and four more to match inactive teammate Chelsea Falkenstein (56).

FALKENSTEIN OUT
Senior Chelsea Falkenstein will be out the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Falkenstein injured her knee in UE’s game at UT Martin on Dec. 16. Because she missed two games earlier this season due to a concussion suffered versus Ball State on Nov. 29, she is eligible to redshirt. Falkenstein averaged 3.6 points and 5.5 rebounds before the season-ending injury. She had surgery on Friday, Jan. 20th.

COPY KAT
Freshman Kat Taylor will also be out the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL occurring in practice on Monday, Jan. 16th. Taylor played in 13 games in her rookie campaign, averaging 1.8 points, and 1.1 rebounds.

QUEEN OF THE GLASS
Entering the week, Briyana Blair ranks 44th in the nation and third in the MVC, averaging 9.3 rebounds per game. Blair needs 22 more rebounds to break into UE’s single-season top-10.

BLAIR’S BOARDS
Briyana Blair’s 20 rebounds in UE’s first outing vs. Bradley (1/8) not only represented a career-high, but also marked the first time a player has pulled down 20 or more boards in a game since 1998, when Shyla McKibbon tallied 23, also versus Bradley. Blair has recorded double figure rebounds eight times this season.

GOOD GAMES GILLUM
Senior point guard Staci Gillum led the Aces with a career-high 15 points on a career-best four three-pointers vs. Drake (2/12). In UE’s win over Creighton (2/9), Gillum recorded a game-high six assists. Against Bradley (2/2), Gillum nearly recorded her first career double-double with nine points and career-high eight assists. In the last four contests, the Des Moines, Iowa native has averaged 7.8 points, 4.25 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game.

CLOSE CALLS
The Aces’ last three games have been decided by a margin of five points or less, going 1-2.
AT UNI (2/4): Battling back from a 15-point second-half deficit, Evansville had a chance to tie the game at UNI in the final 30 seconds of play, but sophomore Miranda Liles’ three bounced off the back rim and the hosting Panthers converted free throws in the final seconds to edge the Aces, 58-53, at McLeod Center.
VS. CU (2/9):  With 1:32 remaining, Meagan Collins took a feed from Staci Gillum and knocked down a three in the left corner to give Evansville a 47-45 lead. At the other end, Ally Jensen’s layup wouldn’t fall and Collins secured the rebound, forcing the Bluejays to foul with 6.1 seconds left. The Boonville, Ind. native made the first, allowing the Aces to breathe easier, but missed the second, giving Creighton a chance for the tie. Carli Tritz, CU’s leading rainmaker, put up a shot from beyond the arc, but the ball bounced off the back rim as the buzzer sounded, locking up the win for Evansville.
VS. DU (2/12): With just under five minutes remaining in the game, Meagan Collins muscled a shot between two defenders in the paint and gave the University of Evansville women’s basketball team the lead, 47-46, for the first time in the contest. Unfortunately, missed free throws in the waning minutes proved to be costly, as the Aces went 1-for-4 from the line in opportunities that would have tied or given UE the lead. With a minute to go, the Missouri Valley Conference’s leading scorer and rebounder, Rachael Hackbarth made a layup and then took a charge to give Drake the ball with 43.9 seconds to go with a 52-48 lead. Evansville was forced to foul on the other end, and Drake made 1-of-2 at the line. Gillum gave the Aces a chance, hitting a three in the corner with 15.5 seconds to go to cut the deficit to two. But, Drake sunk both free throws as they went 5-of-6 from the line in the final two minutes of the game to seal the win.

HALTIME LEADS
In back-to-back games, Evansville broke trends both ways regarding halftime leads. Prior to UE’s game at UNI (2/4), the Aces had held on to win every game with a 3-0 record when owning an advantage at the break, and held an 0-15 mark when trailing at the half. However, UE lost to the Panthers despite a four-point lead (27-23) at halftime and then topped Creighton after trailing by two (21-19) at the break. When the score is tied at intermission, the Aces are 1-2.

DOUBLE THE FUN
Senior Briyana Blair has single handedly recorded more double-doubles in one season than the entire UE team logged in the last two years. Versus Southern Illinois on Jan. 29th, Blair achieved her sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. In the 2010-11 season, the team combined for three double-doubles, while they recorded zero in 2009-10. Blair has the most double-doubles in a single season since Jamie Gray logged 12 in 2003-04.

STARTING LINE
Evansville has used seven different starting lineups this season with point guard Staci Gillum and forward Samantha Heck serving as the only players to start all 24 games. Heck has started 35 games consecutively for the Aces; the longest streak among active players. For the first time in nine games, Coach Epps changed the lineup at Bradley (2/2), swapping in Miranda Liles for Meagan Collins in the forward position. The lineup changed again at UNI (2/4) with Liles staying and Collins replacing Blair who had started the previous ten straight games.

MIRANDA RIGHTS
Sophomore Miranda Liles as shown rapid growth in the last month, as she made her first career start at Bradley (2/2), and scored nine points in a then career-high 32 minutes of play. In her second start at UNI (2/4), Liles also had a career game with five rebounds and matched a best 11 points in 36 minutes on the floor. In UE’s last game vs. Creighton, Liles started and played 38 minutes, grabbing a career-high seven rebounds and scored five points. In those three games, Liles averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds.

HECK OF A LEADER
Sam Heck has been UE’s leading point scorer 13 times this season and has reached double figures 44 times in her career.

HECK OF A STREAK
Samantha Heck extended her double-figure point streak to 14 games vs. Wichita State (1/19), scoring all 10 points in the second half. Heck owns the longest double-digit streak since Meagan Liffick in the 2005-06 season when Liffick scored 10 or more points in the first 19 games of the year and in 28-of-29 games. However, the streak came to an end after 14 when Missouri State (1/21) held her to four points.

HOT SHOTS
Against UT Martin, Evansville recorded its highest field goal percentage, 55.8 percent (29-for-52), since the Aces shot 56.7 percent against Bradley on Feb. 2, 2004 (81-65 win). It also marked the first times UE has broken the 50 percent mark, since Jan. 26, 2008 when the Aces shot 53.4 percent versus Southern Illinois (77-67 win). On the season, UE is shooting 36.2 percent from the field.
 
VALLEY PLAY
The Aces own a 115-204 all-time record in the Missouri Valley Conference, since joining the league in the 1994-95 season. Evansville looks to get back to the results the Aces had from 2005-08, in which UE had four straight winning records. In the 2008-09 season, UE won the conference tournament despite a 4-14 regular season mark in the MVC, winning four straight contests in St. Charles, Mo.
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Briyana Blair leads UE with six double-doubles this season: Brown (11 pts, 14 rebs) on Nov. 25, Eastern Kentucky (17 pts, 10 rebs) on Dec. 2, Illinois State (11 pts, 14 rebs) on Jan. 1, Bradley (19 pts, 20 rebs), and Drake (13 pts, 14 rebs), SIU (10 pts, 10 rebs). Samantha Heck recorded her first of the year vs. Wichita State (10 pts, 10 rebs), marking the third of her career. Meagan Collins is also a part of the three-person club with double-doubles to their name, tallying one in 2010-11
 
1,000 GAMES
UE’s game at UT Martin (12/16) marked the 1,000th game in program history. The Aces currently own a 446-568 (.440) all-time record dating back to the 1969-70 season -- UE’s first year of women’s basketball.

LEAGUE LEADERS (as of 2/15)
Blair – 2nd – assists – 4.0/game
Blair – 2nd – defensive rebounds – 7.0/game
Blair – 3rd – rebounding – 9.3/game
Blair – 3rd – steals – 2.5/game
Blair – 4th – assist/turnover ratio – 1.1
Gillum – 7th – assists – 2.9/game
Heck – 9th – blocks – 1.0/game
Ware – 10th – offensive rebounds – 2.4/game
 
ADLARD TO HALL OF FAME
A class of 11 women and men who have made significant contributions to Indiana high school basketball will be welcomed as inductees when the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame celebrates their 11th Women’s Induction Class on April 28, 2012. Among those inductees is UE’s all-time leading scorer, Shelly Brand Adlard. Adlard racked up 1,713 points in her career as a Purple Ace and also graduated as the school’s all-time leader in assists, steals, field goals made, and free throws made. Currently, she still holds the record for field goals (718), now ranks third in assists (448), sixth in steals (164) and seventh in free throws made (277).  In addition, she was the NCAA Division I national free throw percentage leader in the 1983-84 season.
 
OTIES EPPS SHOW
“The Oties Epps Show,” hosted by Mike Radomski airs live from the UE Bookstore in the Ridgway University Center on the UE campus from 12-12:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons. Fans are invited and encouraged to come out and be a part of the show and meet the coaches and players of the UE women’s basketball team. Fans can also listen in online at both wuev.org and GoPurpleAces.com.
 
LADD COMES HOME
Arguably one of the best players to come out of Memorial High School, Mallory Ladd has decided to transfer from Valparaiso University back home to play for Coach Oties Epps and the University of Evansville Purple Aces. Ladd, who scored 1,803 points in her high school career and grabbed a school-record 1,163 rebounds, led Memorial to the 3A state championship with a 28-1 mark in her senior year. She was named Indiana Miss Basketball runner-up and was a first team all-state selection in 2011 by the Associated Press and Hoosier Basketball Magazine. In the first month of the 2011-12 season, the 6’1 freshman forward played in six games with the Crusaders, averaging 10.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, also shooting 91.3 percent (21-23) from the free throw line. As per NCAA transfer rules, Ladd will have to sit out one year, but will be eligible to join the Aces on the court in the second semester of the 2012-13 season.
 
ACES SIGN TWO FOR 2012-13
Oties Epps announced on Nov. 9 the signing of two high school standouts to National Letters of Intent. Guard Laura Friday (Marion, Ind./Marion) and forward Michaela Prough (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) will make up the Lady Aces’ freshman class for the 2012-13 season.
 
O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN
Senior Staci Gillum and junior Samantha Heck have been named the 2011-12 team captains for the University of Evansville women’s basketball team. Gillum, a native of West Des Moines, Iowa, served as the Purple Aces’ captain and point guard last season, averaging 4.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, playing in all 30 contests. A transfer from Kirkwood Community College, Gillum was also a captain and led the Eagles to a 73-2 overall record and a pair of national titles in her two years, while also earning NJCAA All-America honors. Heck, an Auxvasse, Mo. native, led the team with 4.9 rebounds per game and finished second on the squad with 9.3 points per game in her sophomore season, while also recording two double-doubles. As a freshman, Heck recorded over 200 points and 100 rebounds in her rookie season, ranking second on the team in both categories at 7.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.