Purple Aces to Face Butler in First Regular Season Game at New Evansville Arena
The Butler Bulldogs may be headed to the Final Four, but when they faced off against the University of Evansville last November at Hinkle Fieldhouse, the Purple Aces walked away with a 71-68 overtime victory; Evansville’s first win over an eventual Final Four team. Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel just announced that the University of Evansville men’s basketball team will take on the Butler Bulldogs in the Aces’ first regular season game at the new Evansville arena on November 12, 2011. The game will also be one of the highlights of UE’s homecoming weekend.
“The Aces are going to have an amazing start to their inaugural season at Evansville’s new arena. Not only is this going to be a great game for the fans and teams alike, but it will also be a terrific way to showcase the new arena and all it has to offer,” said Mayor Weinzapfel.
Evansville has now played a regular season game against a team that advanced to the Final Four three years in a row: North Carolina in 2009 and Butler in 2010 and 2011. Overall, the Purple Aces have played 10 games against teams that went on to the Final Four that season.
"We have always enjoyed our competition with Butler over many years. It is very fitting that we are able to play them in the opening regular season game. I am confident everyone who attends the game will enjoy the game and the ambiance of the arena," said John Stanley, Director of Athletics, University of Evansville.
There have been 116 games between the University of Evansville and Butler since their first match-up in the 1920-‘21 season. The Purple Aces lead the series 61-56. The two teams have played in each of the last five seasons, and 13 of the last 15.
"The Evansville-Butler series has been good for both schools for a long time, and it's a series that we hope continues for many years to come. There's no doubt they will have a very good team again next season, and that's an extra incentive for our players to work hard during the off-season to get ready for the first game of the year in November," said Marty Simmons, Head Coach, University of Evansville men’s basketball team.
The Purple Aces will have another big game in November 2011 when they take on the Indiana University Hoosiers at the new arena. It will be the second in a three-game series that will wrap up in Bloomington during the 2013-‘14 season. The first game took place in Bloomington on November 21, 2010, with IU winning 67-54.
The new 290,000-square foot Evansville arena will be the home court for the University of Evansville Purple Aces men’s and women’s basketball teams. The arena will be the region’s center for sports and entertainment, designed to host basketball, hockey, concerts, exhibitions, and shows for audiences as large as 11,000.
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