Evansville Purple Aces
2023–24 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team
UniversityUniversity of Evansville
Head coachDavid Ragland (2nd season)
ConferenceMissouri Valley
LocationEvansville, Indiana
ArenaFord Center
(Capacity: 10,000)
NicknamePurple Aces
ColorsPurple, white, and orange[1]
     
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament champions
1959*, 1960*, 1964*, 1965*, 1971*
NCAA tournament Final Four
1958*, 1959*, 1960*, 1964*, 1965*, 1971*
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1958*, 1959*, 1960*, 1963*, 1964*, 1965*, 1968*, 1971*
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1957*, 1958*, 1959*, 1960*, 1962*, 1963*, 1964*, 1965*, 1966*, 1968*, 1971*, 1972*, 1976*
NCAA tournament second round
1989
NCAA tournament appearances
1957*, 1958*, 1959*, 1960*, 1961*, 1962*, 1963*, 1964*, 1965*, 1966*, 1968*, 1971*, 1972*, 1974*, 1976*, 1982, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1999
*at Division II level
Conference tournament champions
Midwestern Collegiate Conference
1982, 1992, 1993
Conference regular season champions
Midwestern Collegiate Conference
1982, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1993

Missouri Valley Conference
1999

The Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represents the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville, located in Evansville, Indiana, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home games at the Ford Center. Evansville's athletics teams were originally known as the Pioneers in the early part of the 1900s. In the 1920s, the name Aces arose after a local sports writer wrote in a game story of the men's basketball team, "They played like Aces." The team has been known as the Aces and/or Purple Aces ever since. Evansville has won five Division II national championships (1959, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1971). On November 12, 2019, the Aces earned one of the biggest victories in their Division I history, upsetting top-ranked Kentucky at Rupp Arena.

History

The memorial display case at the Ford Center honoring UE's championship tradition

In the early years of the men's basketball program the Purple Aces appeared in the NAIA national tournament. The Purple Aces appeared 4 times in the NAIA Tournament (1941, 1942, 1951, and 1955). The Purple Aces had a NAIA tournament record of 3–4. The furthest Evansville got in the NAIA tournaments was in third round (NAIA Quarterfinals) in 1951, only to lose to Regis University (Colo.) 70–68.[2]

Shortly after the 1955 season the Purple Aces would move up to the NCAA College Division, now called NCAA Division II. The Evansville Purple Aces rank second all-time in NCAA College Division national championships with five: 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965 (29–0 record) and 1971. The 1964 and 1965 teams starred NBA Legend Jerry Sloan, the 1971 team featured future NBA star Don Buse and future NCAA referee Steve Welmer.

Coach Arad McCutchan won five national championships in his tenure.

In 1977, UE began playing in NCAA Division I athletics. That same year on December 13, a chartered DC-3 carrying the entire UE basketball team crashed in a field near the Evansville Regional Airport en route to a game against Middle Tennessee State. Every member of the team and coaching staff on the plane was killed. David Furr, who was a member of the 1977–78 Purple Aces squad, did not die in the crash, as he was out for the season with an ankle injury and thus was not on the plane that day. However, only just two weeks later after the crash, Furr and his younger brother Byron were killed in a car accident near Newton, Illinois, leaving the entire 1977–78 Purple Aces team dead.

Tremendous community support brought back the basketball program the next year. Evansville was a charter member of the Midwest Collegiate Conference, now known as the Horizon League. The Aces won or shared the MCC regular season title in 1982, 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1993. They also won the conference tournament title in 1982, 1992, and 1993. The Aces are now a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, and won the 1999 regular season title.

Legendary Aces coach Arad McCutchan was the first NCAA College Division coach selected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Purple Aces have made five trips to the NCAA Men's basketball tournament (1982, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1999) [3] and two trips to the NIT (1988, 1994).[4]

Seasonal records

SeasonTeamWLPCTConf. RecordPostseasonHead Coach
Independent
1977–78Evansville13.250Bobby Watson
1978–79Evansville1316.448Dick Walters
Midwestern Collegiate Conference
1979–80Evansville1810.6431–4Dick Walters
1980–81Evansville199.6796–5Dick Walters
1981–82Evansville236.79310–2NCAA first roundDick Walters
1982–83Evansville1316.4486–8Dick Walters
1983–84Evansville1514.5177–7Dick Walters
1984–85Evansville1316.4484–10Dick Walters
1985–86Evansville819.2963–9Jim Crews
1986–87Evansville1612.5718–4Jim Crews
1987–88Evansville218.7246–4NIT Sweet SixteenJim Crews
1988–89Evansville256.80610–2NCAA Second RoundJim Crews
1989–90Evansville1715.5318–6Jim Crews
1990–91Evansville1414.5007–7Jim Crews
1991–92Evansville246.8008–2NCAA first roundJim Crews
1992–93Evansville237.76712–2NCAA first roundJim Crews
1993–94Evansville2111.6566–4NIT first roundJim Crews
Missouri Valley Conference
1994–95Evansville189.66711–7Jim Crews
1995–96Evansville1314.4819–9Jim Crews
1996–97Evansville1714.54811–7Jim Crews
1997–98Evansville1515.5009–9Jim Crews
1998–99Evansville2310.69713–5NCAA first roundJim Crews
1999–2000Evansville1812.6009–9Jim Crews
2000–01Evansville1416.4679–9Jim Crews
2001–02Evansville721.2504–14Jim Crews
2002–03Evansville1216.4298–10Steve Merfeld
2003–04Evansville722.2415–13Steve Merfeld
2004–05Evansville1117.3935–13Steve Merfeld
2005–06Evansville1019.3455–13Steve Merfeld
2006–07Evansville1417.4526–12Steve Merfeld
2007–08Evansville921.3003–15Marty Simmons
2008–09Evansville1714.5488–10CIT first roundMarty Simmons
2009–10Evansville921.3003–15Marty Simmons
2010–11Evansville1616.5009–9CBI Second RoundMarty Simmons
2011–12Evansville1615.5169–9CBI first roundMarty Simmons
2012–13Evansville2115.58310–8CIT SemifinalsMarty Simmons
2013–14Evansville1419.4246–12Marty Simmons
2014–15Evansville2412.6139–9CIT ChampionsMarty Simmons
2015–16Evansville259.73512–6Marty Simmons
2016–17Evansville1617.4856–12Marty Simmons
2017–18Evansville1715.5317–11Marty Simmons
2018–19Evansville1121.3435–13Walter McCarty
2019–20Evansville923.2810–18Walter McCarty
Todd Lickliter
2020–21Evansville916.3607–11Todd Lickliter
2021–22Evansville624.3602–16Todd Lickliter
2022–23Evansville527.1851–19 David Ragland
Totals672633.517

Postseason results

Division I NCAA tournament results

The Purple Aces have appeared in five NCAA Division I Tournaments. Their combined record is 1–5.

Year Round Opponent Result
1982First roundMarquetteL 62–67
1989First round
Second Round
Oregon State
Seton Hall
W 94–90 OT
L 73–87
1992First roundUTEPL 50–55
1993First roundFlorida StateL 70–82
1999First roundKansasL 74–95

Division II NCAA tournament results

The Purple Aces have appeared in 14 NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 39–9. They are five time national champions (1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971).

Jerry Sloan (top) and Don Buse (bottom) won a combined three national championships.
Year Round Opponent Result
1957Regional Seminfinals
Regional Finals
Illinois State
Buffalo
W 108–96
L 75–77
1958Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd-place game
Wabash
Akron
American
St Michael's
Wheaton
W 70–68 OT
W 82–70
W 82–72
L 70–78
W 95–93
1959Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game
Belmont Abbey
Wittenberg
St. Michael's
North Carolina A&T
SW Missouri State
W 66–54
W 56–50
W 82–63
W 110–92
W 83–67
1960Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game
Arkansas State
Wabush
American
Kentucky Wesleyan
Chapman
W 91–74
W 89–68
W 101–91
W 76–69
W 90–69
1961Regional Seminfinals
Regional 3rd-place game
Lincoln (MO)
MacMurray
L 90–77
W 98–97 OT
1962Regional Seminfinals
Regional Finals
North Carolina A&T
Southern Illinois
W 97–82
L 83–88
1963Regional Seminfinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Concordia (IL)
Washington-St. Louis
Southern Illinois
W 66–56
W 85–76
L 73–86
1964Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game
Jackson State
Southern Illinois
Cal Poly Pomona
Northern Iowa
Akron
W 97–69
W 64–59
W 95–73
W 82–67
W 72–59
1965Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game
Bethune-Cookman
Bellarmine
Philadelphia
St. Michael's
Southern Illinois
W 116–77
W 81–74
W 92–76
W 93–70
W 85–82 OT
1966Regional Seminfinals
Regional Finals
Lamar
Southern Illinois
W 111–103
L 77–90
1968Regional Seminfinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Lincoln (MO)
SW Missouri State
Trinity
W 95–80
W 79–73
L 77–93
1971Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game
Ashland
Central Michigan
Hartwick
Southwestern Louisiana
Old Dominion
W 72–64
W 78–60
W 105–69
W 93–74
W 97–82
1972Regional Seminfinals
Regional Finals
Wittenberg
Eastern Michigan
W 81–73
L 88–93
1976Regional Seminfinals
Regional Finals
Wright State
Eastern Illinois
W 85–75
L 73–75

NAIA tournament results

The Purple Aces have appeared in four NAIA Division I Tournaments. Their combined record is 3–4.

Year Round Opponent Result
1941First roundTexas WesleyanL 62–71
1942First round
Second Round
Peru State
East Central
W 73–50
L 30–42
1951First round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Westminster
Morningside
Regis
W 85–74
W 75–62
L 68–70
1955First roundAtlantic ChristianL 88–95

NIT results

The Purple Aces have appeared in two National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 1–2.

Year Round Opponent Result
1988First round
Sweet Sixteen
Utah
Boston College
W 66–55
L 81–88
1994First roundTulaneL 63–76

CBI results

The Purple Aces have appeared in two College Basketball Invitationals (CBI). Their combined record is 1–2.

Year Round Opponent Result
2011First round
Quarterfinals
Hofstra
Boise State
W 77–70
L 69–75
2012First roundPrincetonL 86–95

CIT results

The Purple Aces have appeared in three CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments (CIT). Their combined record is 8–2. They were CIT champions in 2015

Year Round Opponent Result
2009First roundBelmontL 72–92
2013First round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Tennessee State
Eastern Kentucky
Canisius
East Carolina
W 84–72
W 86–72
W 84–83
L 58–81
2015First round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship Game
IPFW
Eastern Illinois
Louisiana–Lafayette
UT Martin
Northern Arizona
W 82–77
W 83–68
W 89–82
W 79–66
W 71–65

Retired Jerseys

Twelve players and two coaches have had their jerseys retired by the school. Nevertheless, numbers remain active and can be worn by future players.

No. Player Year honored
3Scott Haffner1986–1989
5Marcus Wilson1995–1999
10Don Buse1969–1972
15Brad Leaf1979–1982
19Gus Doerner1939–1942
20Hugh Ahlering1957–1959
Scott Shreffler1989–1993
31Andy Elkins1991–1995
40Ed Smallwood1958–1960
50Larry Humes1963–1966
Marty Simmons1986–1988
52Jerry Sloan1962–1965
Arad McCutchan1946–1977
Jim Crews1985–2002

References

  1. Missouri Valley Conference Style Guide (PDF). August 29, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  2. NAIA Championship History Archived March 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  3. NCAA Basketball History
  4. "NIT Championship Home".
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