EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Three days after a season-opening win over Miami Ohio, the University of Evansville men's basketball team will be back inside the Ford Center on Thursday night to face UHSP. Tip is set for 7 p.m. with ESPN+ and the Purple Aces Radio Network covering the action.
Setting the Scene
- Evansville is in search of its first 2-0 start since 2019 when it faces the Eutectics on Thursday
- This will mark the first time UE has faced the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
- UHSP was previously known as St. Louis College of Pharmacy
Last Time Out
- Monday's season opener saw the Purple Aces hold strong in the late minutes to defeat Miami Ohio by a score of 72-64
- The RedHawks held a 34-32 lead at the break and were shooting 62.5% on the night after hitting 7 of their first 11 shots to open the second half
- Over the final 12 minutes of the contest, the defense for the Aces clamped down, holding MU to 25% shooting (5-of-20) while finishing with the 8-point win
Clutch When It Counts
- Ben Humrichous put the team on his back in the win over Miami, scoring all 18 of his points in the second half
- With UE trailing by six points inside of 12 minutes remaining, Humrichous went on to score 15 of Evansville's next 19 points, turning a 52-46 deficit into a 65-57 lead
- By himself, Humrichous outscored Miami by a 15-5 margin during an 8-minute stretch
- He added 8 rebounds and 3 assists
Freshman Debut
- Making his first appearance in an Aces uniform, freshman Joshua Hughes recorded 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks
- On the floor for 17 minutes, Hughes was 3-for-6 from the field and connected on 6 of his 8 free throw tries
Solid Start
- Yacine Toumi made contributions in all facets of the game in the 2023 opener
- Toumi picked up 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist in 24 minutes of action
- He connected on 5 of his 9 field goal attempts as UE took the victory
Scouting the Opponent
- UHSP enters Thursday's game with an 0-3 record after dropping a 98-65 contest on Tuesday at Missouri Valley
-- Three players are currently averaging 14 points or more, led by Jas Suvalija
- The freshman has averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 40.7% from 3-point range
- Sophomore Landon Engelage checks in with 14.3 points while freshman Brady Bowers is currently posting 14.0 PPG
- Engelage is the top rebounder for the Eutectics with 6.3 per contest
