EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Shea Feehan is just six games into his one and only season at the University of Evansville, but has already shown what he can do and how much he can be depended upon for his leadership and experience.
 
Feehan joined the Purple Aces after spending three seasons at Eureka College.  He became a legend with the Red Devils, completing his final season averaging 30.6 points per game.  Over the course of his career, he averaged 27.1 PPG.  Through his first six games with the Aces, Feehan has paced the team with 14.3 points and has shown that a good basketball player can adjust at any level.
 
"At the end of the day, it is the same game I have been playing my whole life,"
 Feehan said.  "We have a really good group of guys who enjoy playing basketball together and we are doing really well."
 
So what, if any differences or challenges have there been as Feehan adjusts to the Division I level?
 
"Honestly, just bringing it every day.  At the D3 level, I think I got a little lazy at times, but just from the summer on at this level, you have to bring it every day.  It is a lot more mental."
 
The opening game of the season at Illinois was not what Feehan or the Aces were hoping for, but the fight in this team is what has been able to shine since then.  The Peoria, Ill. native had four turnovers in that first contest against the Fighting Illini.  Since then, he has had a total of seven turnovers in five games.
 
"Shea is one of those types of guys who has been drilled to keep shooting the basketball. He knows how to bounce back, he has that ability and is just worried about the next play," UE head coach Walter McCarty said.  "Since Illinois, our whole team has bounced back and are closer to being who we want to be."
 
Just two days after the opener, the Aces put up a stellar effort at Xavier and since then, Feehan and his team have gained confidence every time out.
 
"It is all about confidence, especially when you are shooting the ball," Feehan explained.  "Coach gives us a lot of confidence.  When you get that freedom from your coaching staff and they tell you to shoot it, it uplifts everybody and takes your game to another level."
 
With three years of college ball under his belt, he has been looked at as a leader by the younger players on the team.  It is a role that Feehan has embraced.
 
"It is a good thing to be a leader and one thing I have always done that since high school," he said.  "Young guys look at me to see how things are done, what to say and how to hold people accountable.  I just want to be the guy they can talk to about stuff on and off the court.  I want to be there for them."
 
McCarty gave Feehan high praise when explaining his leadership qualities.
 
"Shea is a great leader who does things the right way.  He is the hardest worker.  He is the first guy at the gym – he gets there before everybody and is the last guy to leave," McCarty said.  "He is always getting up shots in the gym trying to get better and is always trying to make the rest of our team better.  He is just a leader on and off the floor."
 
"I love being around him; I can get on him and it just makes him go harder.  If something is a problem, he takes ownership," McCarty added.  "He is one of those guys you wish you can have for more than one year.  Evansville basketball fans will really fall in love with this kid."
 

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