EVANSVILLE, Ind. – What a 48 hours it has been for the University of Evansville and the Purple Aces men's basketball team.  It is hard to believe that it was less than two days ago that the guys were celebrating on the court at Rupp Arena after defeating top-ranked Kentucky by a 67-64 final.
 
The win is something that has not only boosted momentum into the athletic department, but has also gotten the city and university into the mainstream news feed.  National outlets such as CBS This Morning and Fox News have covered what has turned into one of the best overall stories in the nation, not just in sports. 
 
Head coach Walter McCarty has promoted the program on every outlet who would give him the chance over the last two days.  Some of the major sports outlets that McCarty has done interviews with over the last two days include: SportsCenter, Dan Patrick Show, Pat McAfee Show, SB Nation, Myron Medcalf of ESPN, the Dan Dakich Show in Indianapolis, Jim Rome, Andy Katz, theScore, SiriusXM and more.  Other interviews are in the works in the coming days.
 
As always, the media in Evansville has been extremely supportive.  All three local TV stations along with the Courier & Press had reporters and writers at the game on Tuesday along with the pep rally on Wednesday.  As Coach McCarty explained – "You cannot buy the coverage we are receiving."
 
While it has been a busy schedule for the Aces coach, he has remained focused on getting his squad ready for tonight's contest against IU Kokomo.  The Cougars come to the Ford Center with a 6-1 record despite playing just five games.  Where did the extra two games come from? We have the answer – they were set to take on Cincinnati Christian on two occasions this year, but the school will be closing in the coming months.  The NAIA has awarded IU Kokomo with two wins via a forfeit to account for the extra games.
 
The Cougars are paced by Trequan Spivey, who is averaging 18.8 points per game.  Their roster is comprised primarily of players from Indiana with 14 of their 15 players coming from the Hoosier State.
 
Warmups are ongoing at the Ford Center.  The Aces are focused and ready to roll.  Coach McCarty and his staff have done a great job of letting the guys enjoy the moment from Tuesday before moving on to the next game.  Every single game counts the same in the final season record and the team understands just how important each game is.
 
K.J. Riley is the lone senior and has led by example so far.  Tuesday's game saw him finish with 18 points.  He was a perfect 2-for-2 from outside while draining all 8 free throw tries.  Sam Cunliffe has scored 17 points in each game so far.
 
Following tonight's game, the Aces will have four days to prepare for SMU on Monday.  It has been stressed so much since McCarty took over, but his philosophy in scheduling is elevating the program.  Beginning that home-and-home series with the Mustangs is a huge deal for the program and they will continue to have that mentality to put together a schedule that could warrant an at-large bid to the Big Dance!
 

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