Evansville Aces (16-16, 9-9)
Projected starting five:
Jr. G/F Colt Ryan
Sr. G/F Kenneth
Sr. G/F Denver Holmes
Jr. G Ned Cox
Jr. G/F Lewis Jones
Important departures:
Clint Hopf: 6 ppg
Pieter Van Tongeren: 6 ppg
Kavon Lacey: 5.1 ppg
Percent returning:
Starts: 60.0 percent
Minutes: 70.3 percent
Scoring: 74.6 percent
Rebounding: 71.4 percent
Additions:
Freshman forward Ryan Sawvell joins the Aces from Mundelein High School, Ill., where he averaged 20 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.8 steals per game as a senior.
Toughest nonconference match ups:
Nov. 12 vs. Butler
Dec. 6 at No. 1 North Carolina
Outlook:
Evansville will definitely enter the conference season tested, as the Aces play last year’s national runner-up and the top-ranked team in the country. Although UE lost two starters from last season, Jordan Jahr, Lewis Jones and Troy Taylor saw a lot of playing time last season to return enough depth and experience to make the Aces a postseason lock. To be considered a serious threat for the conference crown, Evansville will need to improve on last season’s 4-7 record against the MVC’s upper division. UE looks good enough at first glance to get consideration for the NIT.
