The U.N.I. men get back to action tonight as they play at Evansville. The Purple Aces beat U.N.I. in Cedar Falls back on New Year’s Day, and the two teams are tied for fifth in the MVC with 7-8 league records. U.N.I. coach Ben Jacobson says Evansville has dropped some close games this year, as have many teams in the Valley.
Jacobsen says his team knows what it feels like to lose a close game, and he says Evansville has continued to play well despite those type of loses.
At 20 points per game, Colt Ryan lead’s Evansville’s offense. U.N.I. held him scoreless through a half in their first meeting, but he exploded for 29 points in the 2nd half. Jacobson says that the Purple Aces find ways of getting the ball in Ryan’s hands in their motion offense. He says they do a good job of getting the ball in everyone’s hands, but Ryan is their most consistent scorer.
Tonight’s game is U.N.I.’s first trip to Evansville’s new Ford Center. The Panthers were planning to arrive earlier than normal in an attempt to get some extra practice time in the new arena.
By Jesse Gavin, KCNZ, Cedar Falls