EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Today marked the official start to practice for the University of Evansville men's basketball team as the Purple Aces were ready to roll this morning inside the Fifth Third Basketball Practice Facility.
 
While the team is able to do workouts and individual items throughout the year, the first official practice is always a day that provides more excitement and has a different vibe to it.  It gives the team their first opportunity to really work together and nobody is more excited about the official start to the season than head coach Walter McCarty.
 
"I'm very excited, the guys have been working really hard and we're ready for the official start to the season," he said.  "We're going to get after it, we're excited to be in the gym."
 
Coach McCarty has an infectious personality that really lifts everyone around him, but there was a little more pep to his step this week and that was noticed especially by his players.
 
"Coach has been talking about it all week that the first practice is Saturday.  I talked to DeAndre yesterday and he said (Coach McCarty) was walking around really pumped up," junior Art Labinowicz said before Saturday's practice.  "We are going to work hard and we are all excited for the new season.  I know me, DeAndre, Sam and Peace are especially excited to get back on the floor."
 
Labinowicz, Sam Cunliffe, DeAndre Williams and Peace Ilegomah are eagerly awaiting their returns to the floor, but it is also an exciting time for Evansville's three freshmen, who are set to open their college careers.
 
"I am ready to get started.  It is a big eye opener to start the season," UE freshman Marcus Henderson exclaimed.  "Everyone makes a big deal about the first day of practice – there is so much more energy and everyone is going to go harder."
 
Throughout the remainder of the year, the team has opportunities to work with the student-athletes, but in-season practice gives the team the chance to develop day-to-day routines while implementing the team philosophies.  McCarty detailed how things change once the team transitions into preseason practice.
 
"Not too much changes, we will really start to load them up with information and get more intense," he explained.  "We will put in 4-5 plays each day that the guys will have to retain the information that we give them.  Throughout the summer, it was about working hard and doing the right thing but now it is about retaining that stuff."
 
Evansville had the unique opportunity to get three games under their belts on their foreign trip in August.  For Marcus Henderson and his teammates, it provided priceless experience that will pay dividends moving forward.
 
"We learned that we can really shoot the ball and play together.  We are getting better with our defense and realizing that we can be a good team," Henderson said.  "There are a lot of eyes on us and it makes us want to work harder; we can't let the city down.  We just want to work harder and prove what we have."
 

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