NASSAU, Bahamas – Perfect 80 degree weather and sunny skies greeted the University of Evansville men's basketball team when they arrived in the Bahamas on Thursday and that continued into Friday.

Arriving at the Baha Mar on Thursday evening, the team had the opportunity to get some shots up on the game floor in a ballroom at the Baha Mar.  With the unique setup of the facility, the team used the time to work primarily on shooting and getting used to the place it would be playing at in each of the next three days.

The tournament was originally set to be played at Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, but the facility was utilized as a shelter for people impacted by Hurricane Dorian earlier this year.  The move has been such a positive for everyone.  It is literally a 5-minute walk for the players and coaches from their hotel rooms to the floor.  It also makes for more recovery time after each game.

UE held a more formal walkthrough earlier in the day on Thursday to focus on tonight's opponent – East Carolina.  Despite a 1-3 mark, the Pirates are a formidable opponent.  They are led by Jayden Gardner, who averages a team-high 20 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.  Hey will be one of the primary focuses for the Aces, but another player is sure to be one the team has its eyes on.

ECU freshman Tristen Newton is the brother of Aces sophomore Jawaun Newton.  Tristen is having a nice start to his collegiate career, posting 9.8 points while leading ECU with 14 assists and 6 steals.  It will be a special night for the family as it marks the first time the brothers have faced off, especially in a game of this magnitude. 

One thing to watch for may be for guys who normally do not get big minutes to see more playing time this weekend.  With three games in three days, head coach Walter McCarty is looking to take some of the workload off of his main guys whenever possible.  Coach is one of the best in the nation at completing that task as eight players average 20 minutes per game.

As this story wraps up, so does another one that is of interest to the Purple Aces.  Kansas City just put the finishing touches on a 74-68 win over George Washington.  Should the Aces go on to a win tonight, they will face the Kangaroos on Saturday at 8 p.m.  With a loss, UE would take on the Colonials at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

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