This is the first installment of D.J.'s blog with GoPurpleAces.com and UEAthleticsBlog.com.  He will check in 1-2 times per week over the course of the MVC season.

Hey everyone, D.J. Balentine here.  I am excited to give you inside look at our season as we go through conference play.  Keep an eye out for updates on a weekly basis!
It has been a great season so far, but our work is just beginning.  First thing first – I have to thank you the fans for all of your support.  I really enjoy playing at our arena.  It was one of the first things that caught my eye on the recruiting trip.  Playing in front of our fans, especially when it was rocking the way it was on New Year's, is an amazing feeling.

Your support not just at home, but also on the road, means a lot to my teammates and I.  We do our best to represent the University of Evansville and the community to the best of our ability. 

It has been a good season so far, but our work is just beginning.  The start means a lot because we have come such a long way.  Last year was very tough and the losses were hard.  Each win we have this year makes it that much more enjoyable.  We worked extremely hard in the offseason.  We are not the least bit satisfied at this point, we know that we need to work together to become the best team possible.

Last week, it was a great accomplishment for our team to beat UNI, who was nationally ranked.  UNI, along with Green Bay, were the top two teams that we have faced so far.  Every team we have faced so far has been tough and has provided different challenges, but those two have been tough.

When we focused on UNI, we knew coming in that they were a great team and played very well against us last year.  Our team focused on the game plan that the coaches put together.  Despite getting down early, we kept fighting.  In the second half, we had a spark and knew we were not going to lose.  My teammates knew the magnitude of the game and wanted to come out as winners.

As a player, you have to be ready for anything.  I give my teammates so much credit for finding me when I am open.  I also try to return the favor as much as possible.  Northern Iowa did a great job on me in the first half, there were always three guys surrounding me whenever I caught the ball. 

It is tough facing those kinds of defenses night in and night out.  I understood that when I came into the program.  Coach Simmons tells me all the time that you have to fight through it and be tough.  It is easy to get frustrated in tough times, but you have to look at what the overall reward is.  If you want to be the best player in the conference and nation, you have to face these things. 

The #1 thing I want to do is win.  If they throw five guys on me, my teammates will have the opportunity to score.  I don't care how many points I get, I just want to win.  When they defend me like that and we lose, that is what I hate the most.

Individually, I love playing against Khristian Smith of Indiana State.  Smith is from Indianapolis and we played against each other a lot as we grew up in AAU and fall leagues.  He is a great friends who I still keep in touch with.

Moving on to Wednesday's opponent, we are excited to see Loyola come to town.  They are a very deep team with two outstanding players in Milton Doyle and Christian Thomas.  Devon Turk is a lights out shooter for them and they also have a couple of guys that come off the bench and are very aggressive.  They are a much different team than last year, when they first came into the Valley.  It is going to be a great game and we hope to see you there.