EVANSVILLE – It's been an offseason of anticipation for the University of Evansville women's basketball team, and on Saturday, the Purple Aces will hit the court for the first time since March as the team will play host to Cleveland State at the Ford Center to open the regular season.
UE vs. Cleveland State (Saturday, 1 p.m.): Live Stats |
The Valley on ESPN3 |
CSU Website |
Game Notes
The Aces, led by interim head coach Matt Ruffing, who coached the final four games of the 2015-16 campaign, will be looking to rebound from last year's campaign. The first-year head coach has overseen a partial overhaul of the program that includes the introduction of two new assistant coaches as well as four newcomers to the squad.
Even with the influx of new talent, the Aces will still depend on its veteran core, led by three-year starter Sara Dickey. The senior guard out of Montezuma, Ind., has been the focal point for the Aces ever since she stepped foot on campus, and this season should be no different. With 1,641 career points, Dickey stands just 72 points shy of the top total in school history, and she's just four away from moving into the top 25 all-time in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Also returning from last year's squad will be Sasha Robinson, who ranks eighth all-time on the rebounding charts as well as five players who began their career with UE last season, including seniors Ashley Hawkins and Camary Williams, who each featured regularly for the Aces a year ago. Regular starter Kerri Gasper is also back for her sophomore season as well as Erin Sinnott and Tattenai Hall.
Peyton Langston, who's been in the rotation for each of the last two seasons, rounds out the returners.
Joining them this season will be a tandem from nearby Vincennes University, Brooke Dossett and Marley Miller. Dossett, a junior, was an NJCAA All-American last season, averaging 12.5 points and three assists while helping the Blazers to a 29-6 record and a berth into the national tournament. Miller, a sophomore was a frequent backcourt companion to Dossett and put up 9.4 points per game.
Two freshmen are also joining the fold, beginning with another guard in Macie Lively, who is fresh off her second all-state campaign with Tipton High School. She averaged nearly 20 points per game last year on the way to setting the career scoring record for her school with 1,575 points. Kaylan Coffman, who at 6-foot-3 is the tallest player on the team this year, was an all-state center for Benton Central. She averaged 17 points, 7.8 boards and 3.4 blocks in her final season, and in her four years, BCHS took home 90 of the team's 102 games.
On Saturday, the Aces will welcome in another team that will be looking to rebound from a difficult season in Cleveland State. The Vikings posted a 9-20 overall record last season, and the team will be out to avenge a 72-63 loss at the hands of the Aces last year in Cleveland. The team returns four starters from a year ago, including sophomore Ashanti Abshaw, who was voted to the preseason Horizon League First Team.
Tipoff at the Ford Center is slated for 1 p.m.
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