EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Two games on the road make up the slate this week for the University of Evansville men's basketball team starting on Wednesday evening at Belmont. Tip is set for 6:30 p.m. CT with the Purple Aces Radio Network and ESPN+ having the coverage.
Setting the Scene
- Evansville's recent turnaround began in the first match-up versus the Bruins on Jan. 25 as the Aces kept it close in a 73-64 loss
- Ben Sheppard had a double-double in that game, posting 23 points and 10 rebounds
- Yacine Toumi and Marvin Coleman II led the Purple Aces with 15 points apiece
- The downward trend of the 2021-22 season started with the trip to Nashville on 11/13/21 as UE fell by a final of 81-43
Last Time Out
- Another solid game by UE saw them hold a lead in the final four minutes before three consecutive triples lifted Missouri State to the 66-60 win at the Ford Center
- Antoine Smith Jr. led UE with 16 points, tying his season mark
- Marvin Coleman and Kenny Strawbridge Jr. scored 14 and 10, respectively
Racking up the Minutes
- Playing 34 minutes or more in 16 of the last 17 games, Marvin Coleman II ranks 6th in the MVC with 34.8 per game
- His average of 35.5 minutes in MVC games is 5th-best in the league
- With 14 points against Missouri State on Feb. 12, Coleman picked up his 14th double figure scoring effort in the last 17 games
- Hitting 9 of his 13 shots at Southern Illinois, Coleman reset his career scoring high with 25 points
- Over his last 117 games, Coleman is averaging 13.6 points while shooting 42.2%
Scouting the Opposition
- With their first season as members of the MVC rounding the homestretch, Belmont is 18-9 and 11-5 in the Valley
- The Bruins are tied for third in the league standings, just one game out of first place
- Ben Sheppard continues to pace the Bruins in numerous statistical categories
- His 19.4 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per contest, 34.7 minutes and 40 steals are all team-highs
- In the first meeting against the Aces, Sheppard led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds
- Cade Tyson and Drew Friberg average 13.5 and 11.7 points per game, respectively
