EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 2019-20 season officially opens tonight for the University of Evansville men's basketball team against a pretty familiar foe – in-state squad Ball State.
 
Last season, the Purple Aces and Cardinals squared off twice with the home team winning each time.  Fans will remember the thrilling 89-77 win at the Ford Center.  BSU went up in the first half by double figures, but a 44-11 run by the Aces saw them overcome the deficit and run away for the win.
 
Both teams have a completely different look this year.  Evansville welcomes seven newcomers with three transfers, three freshmen and a sophomore joining the squad.  Sam Cunliffe, Peace Ilegomah and Artur Labinowicz make their much heralded debuts tonight along with sophomore DeAndre Williams, who was a Preseason All-Conference Third Team pick.  UE's freshman class includes Thomasi Gilgeous-Alexander, Marcus Henderson and walk-on Gage Bobe.
 
Williams, along with the three transfers, had the opportunity to practice with the team last season.  While they have not played together and with their teammates in a regular season contest, they have been able to see the floor as a squad in three games on the Europe trip along with the exhibition game against USI. 
 
Having that experience will prove to be beneficial and has already paid its dividends, but will also take time to mesh as they work together against Division I competition. 
 
Ball State is working to replace the productivity of Tayler Persons and Trey Moses.  Persons led the team with 16.7 points per game last year while Moses was fourth on the squad with 8.4.  Despite those losses, the Cardinals have a trio of players who averaged double figures against Evansville in last season's two games.  K.J. Walton and Tahjai Teague averaged 17 points in the two contests while Kyle Mallers posted 12 PPG.
 
With some schools in the NCAA starting their seasons earlier in the week, the Aces open tonight.  UE's players have been chomping at the bit to get rolling and are ready for tonight.
 
"We are tied of beating up on each other out here," junior Evan Kuhlman said.  "It is going to be fun to play against somebody else, that's for sure."
 
Senior K.J. Riley detailed what they expect from Ball State.
 
"They play hard and they play with pace," he said.  "They try to speed you up, I feel like we have to stay poised for the whole game."
 
It took a complete game effort last year and Evansville is hoping to put that together again.  In 25 home games against Ball State, UE is 23-2.  With that said, it is a new team and a new season.  It is almost time to get rolling.
 

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