“Historic MVC Showdown: UE Women’s Basketball Kicks Off First Games at Meeks Family Fieldhouse!”

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The University of Evansville women’s basketball squad steps back onto their home court for two conference matches this weekend.

The Purple Aces are still in pursuit of their inaugural victory in Missouri Valley Conference play after three away games to kick off 2025. Despite an initial advantage against Indiana State last week, UE could not maintain their lead in the eventual 90-74 defeat. Nonetheless, Evansville showcased its strongest offensive outing in Valley competition on Sunday, surpassing the 70-point milestone for the first time since their 84-51 triumph over IU Columbus. It marked UE’s first 70+ point performance against a Division I rival since tallying 87 points against SIUE on December 8th.

Evansville is returning to its customary home ground for the first time in over a month. The Aces have been absent from Meeks Family Fieldhouse since securing an 87-74 victory over SIUE in early December. Presently, UE boasts a flawless 3-0 record on the Lois D. Patton Court, which will face scrutiny on Friday night against Missouri State and again on Sunday afternoon with Southern Illinois visiting.

The Missouri State Lady Bears arrive in Evansville for their final MVC series with the Aces as the institution transitions to Conference USA for the 2025-26 academic year. The Lady Bears are among four teams that have only one loss in Valley competition and hold the second-best overall record in the league at 11-4. Missouri State is spearheaded by the reigning MVC Newcomer of the Year, guard Lacy Stokes, who leads the Lady Bears in scoring (13.1), assists (4.0), steals (2.3), and minutes played (34.1). On the defensive front, Missouri State is anchored by sophomore guard Kyrah Daniels, who averages 5.5 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, and 28.3 minutes per game.

The Southern Illinois Salukis represent another team seeking its first conference win. Overall, the Salukis stand at 2-11 for the season and are currently experiencing a seven-game losing streak. Southern Illinois’ last victory occurred over NAIA Central Methodist during an Education Day contest on December 2nd. Their sole win against a Division I adversary came during a road game at IU Indy in an 85-80 success. Southern Illinois is driven by the only player in the Valley averaging a double-double, newcomer forward Gift Uchenna, who posts 14.7 points and 12.7 rebounds per game and has earned the MVC Newcomer of the Week honor twice.

In their matchup against Indiana State, Evansville achieved its finest three-point shooting game of the season. The Aces successfully completed 13 treys at the Hulman Center, marking their best outing in this category since 2022. With 39 points scored from three-point territory, treys accounted for over 50% of UE’s total points on Sunday. Evansville attempted 33 shots from beyond the arc, achieving a shooting percentage of 39.4%, their fifth best three-point performance to date.

Following the high-scoring result on Sunday, multiple Aces established new personal bests. Offensive standout Camryn Runner reached a new high in made threes (6), three-point attempts (10), and assists (6), earning her a program record sixth MVC Freshman of the Week accolade. Freshman guard Avery Kelley, sophomore forward Claudia Clement, and freshman forward Elle Snyder all set new career scoring records against Indiana State. Kelley and Clement notched their first double-digit performances with 10 points apiece, while Snyder achieved a nine-point game with a career-high three successful treys.