EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women's basketball team opens the 2026-27 season on Tuesday, traveling to Chicago, Ill. to take on DePaul. Tip-off for the regular-season opener is set for 6 p.m. CT.
Season Opener
- Tuesday marks the beginning of the 58th season of Evansville women's basketball.
- The Aces hold a 32-25 record in 57 previous season openers.
- Tuesday's contest marks the first regular-season game under Head Coach
Ben Wierzba.
- Evansville's last season-opening victory came in 2022, when the Aces defeated Eastern Kentucky on the road, 89-81.
Series History
- Tuesday marks the first time Evansville has opened a season against DePaul.
- The Blue Demons lead the all-time series 6-0, with Tuesday's contest marking the seventh meeting between the two programs.
- Evansville is seeking its first road victory over DePaul, having gone 0-3 in three previous trips to Chicago.
- The teams meet for the first time since March 6, 1986, when DePaul earned a 76-50 victory in Evansville.
Returning Players
- Three players return from the 2025-26 roster:
Kaiden Kreinhagen,
Mireia Mustaros, and
Avery Kelley.
- Kelley was named to the MVC Preseason Players to Watch List ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
- Kreinhagen appeared in 25 games last season, averaging 7.2 minutes per game. She recorded a season-high six points at Purdue on Dec. 3, shooting 2-for-3 from three-point range.
- Mustaros appeared in 27 games with 10 starts last season and played a key role in Evansville's run to the MVC Tournament Championship game. She averaged 10.5 points per game while shooting 72% from the field during the tournament.
- Kelley looks to return to the floor after a season-ending injury sidelined her four games into last season. In her limited action, she averaged 8.0 points per game and connected on 7-of-13 attempts from three-point range.
Scouting the Opponent
- DePaul enters the 2026-27 season after finishing 8-24 overall and 5-15 in Big East play.
- The Blue Demons opened their season with an exhibition victory over UIC, 72-66, on Oct. 16.
- Ally Timm returns as DePaul's leading returning scorer after averaging 7.4 points per game last season. She ranked fourth on the team in scoring and led the Blue Demons with 61 three-pointers, shooting 34.5% beyond the arc.
Follow Along
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Live stats are available at GoPurpleAces.com.
