EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In its lone preseason game, the University of Evansville men's basketball team is set to face Henderson State at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Ford Center.
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This will be the first look at the 2025-26 squad, which features six returning players and nine newcomers. Headlining the returners is reigning Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Connor Turnbull. Last season, Turnbull led the MVC with 1.91 blocks per game, a tally that put him 27
th in the nation. In the home win over Valparaiso, Turnbull set career highs in points (27), field goals (12), and attempts (15).
Josh Hughes is back for his third season with the Purple Aces. The forward ranked 5
th in the Valley last year with an average of 1.13 blocks. He recorded a season-high 19 points against Radford. Evansville's other returners include Kaya Berridge, Dakota Candler, Weston Aigner, and Trent Hundley.
Evansville's nine newcomers include:
- #0 Bryce Quinet – 6-3 – Freshman – Guard – Scottsdale, Ariz.
- #1 Keishon Porter – 6-5 – 5th Year – Guard – Pinetops, N.C. (transfer from NC Central)
- #2 James Dyson-Merwe – 6-11 – Freshman – Guard – Sydney, Australia
- #5 Marlon Barnes Jr. – 6-6 – Redshirt Sophomore – Forward – Cleveland, Ohio (transfer from Pitt)
- #6 Leif Moeller – 6-7 – Freshman – Guard – Germany (professional player in Germany)
- #12 Alex Hemenway – 6-4 – 6th Year – Guard – Newburgh, Ind. (transfer from Clemson and Vanderbilt)
- #13 Leo Amari IV – 6-2 – Junior – Guard – Sherman Oaks, Calif. (transfer from Northern Illinois)
- #23 AJ Casey – 6-9 – Senior – Forward – Chicago, Ill. (transfer from Miami and Saint Louis)
- #33 Aaron Gutman – 6-7 – Freshman – Guard – Walton, Ky.
Henderson State is led by former Purple Aces assistant men's basketball coach Jimmy Elgas. Elgas enters his 11
th season at the helm of the Reddies program. He was on the staff at UE from 2007-2015. HSU returns four players from last year's 17-13 squad while bringing in 13 new players.
