Aces aware they can't rest on laurels...

[IE]

Kyle Anslinger understands that danger isn't limited to the unplayed basketball games on the University of Evansville schedule. There's also danger intertwined among the pleasant memories of the Aces' 6-1 start, the program's best in 17 years.

"It's been fun, but we want this game as much as any of them," the 6-foot-4 sophomore guard said of tonight's matchup against Purdue in the 10th annual Boilermaker BlockBuster in Indianapolis. "It's a great opportunity. We're not ready to rest on our laurels."

And, right now, those are many. Evansville's record is the best among the 10 NCAA Division I basketball programs in Indiana, with Indiana State (5-2), Notre Dame (4-2) and Ball State (4-2) the closest to the Aces.

Tipoff at Conseco Fieldhouse is 6:05, Evansville time. The game will air on WAZE-WB19.

If the Aces beat the Boilers, they will be off to their best start since the 1981-82 team opened 10-1.

"I don't know if anybody's taking us seriously yet," said Anslinger, "but if you beat a Big Ten team, people are going to start to realize you're pretty good. A win against Purdue would be a great end to our pre- conference schedule."

But it's not likely to be easy, even with the Boilers entering with a 2-5 record.

"We can't look beyond Purdue right now," UE coach Steve Merfeld said. "We have to stay in the present. But we're ready to do that. This is a veteran team that has had failure (7-22 last year) and now has enjoyed success.

"We've liked that better, and they totally believe in what we're doing now. They understand we've been successful because our defense is vastly improved and we've kept attacking on offense, even when we fell behind early (in wins against Western Illinois and Western Kentucky). We didn't do that last year."

One example was the Aces' game in West Lafayette, an 82-62 win for Purdue.

"We have a lot more confidence this year," Anslinger said. "Last year, they wore us down a little and we played on our heels, especially in the second half. This year, we want to be the aggressor and take it to them."

That aggression could come from almost anyone in the Aces' playing rotation and especially the starters. All five average double figures in scoring.

Senior point guard Lucious Wagner leads the way at 13.4 and over five assists a game. Wagner led the Aces over previously unbeaten Western Kentucky, 68-62, last Saturday with team highs of 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Sophomore center Bradley Strickland averages 11.7 points, Anslinger 11.3, Matt Webster 10.9 and Andre Burton at 10.7. "We're all really looking forward to this game, and it's not just about Purdue," said Anslinger, a Reitz High School product. "We all want to play at Conseco. I've been to a couple Pacers games there, but I've never played there. Since it's a little bigger arena, it's not going to be quite as loud for them. It's a great setting for a game."

Matt Kiefer, a 6-foot-10 junior for Purdue who played at Mater Dei, will miss the game. He is recovering from athroscopic knee surgery a week ago. Kiefer was averaging 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Purdue holds an 8-4 lead in the series with UE.

 

[loophole]

i like the aces too. here's the take out of the indianopolis star:



By Michael Pointer
michael.pointer@indystar.com
December 18, 2004


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Brandon McKnight is convinced recent events support one of Purdue coach Gene Keady's favorite sayings.

"Coach has said it from day one," said McKnight, the Boilermakers' senior point guard and captain. "You're only one injury away from being a starter. Everybody be ready."

With a depleted squad, Purdue hosts Evansville tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse in what might be the final Boilermaker Blockbuster.

The Boilers will be without reserve forward Matt Carroll, who underwent surgery this week to remove an abscess from his right foot and is out 4-to-6 weeks.

Carroll was expected to play a larger role after starting forward Matt Kiefer tore a meniscus in his right knee during practice Dec. 9. Kiefer, who played high school basketball at Evansville Mater Dei, will miss tonight's game. He hopes to return against Baylor on Dec. 30.

"When it rains, it pours with this team," Keady said.

Ije Nwankwo, who likely would have been a starter and playing major minutes by this point, quit the team on Thanksgiving.

That leaves Carl Landry and Gary Ware, who were playing junior college ball at this time last year, as Purdue's top frontcourt players tonight.

Redshirt freshman Adam Liddell didn't play in Purdue's first six games before getting in for 15 minutes in a 69-68 victory over Colorado State. He will be Purdue's first -- and likely only -- frontcourt option off the bench tonight.

"We're taking applications right about now (because) we've had so many guys get hurt," said guard David Teague, who missed Purdue's first two games this season with a broken hand.

"No one can complain," McKnight said. "No one can go home saying, 'Coach didn't give me a chance.' "

Carroll's and Kiefer's injuries put even more stress on a depth-challenged team with little margin for error. With so few offensive options, the Boilers must get better production from Teague, who was the team's only proven outside shooter entering this season. He has struggled since his return from the injury, going just 19-of-80 (23.8 percent) from the field.

Teague said Friday he thinks that will improve now that he has had a full week of practice without a wrap on his hand. He said he thinks he's finally in game shape, too.

"I started to get tired a lot easier," he said. "Shots that I normally make were tougher for me. I was forcing them up hoping I could make one and kind of get on a roll."

Keady said Teague's poor shot selection also was a factor.

"He's trying to score by taking a lot of shots," Keady said. "That's not going to help us against a good defense."

Ware might benefit the most from the injuries to Kiefer and Carroll. He struggled with the transition to Division I early in the season and said Friday he sometimes felt nervous. Confidence was an issue, too.

But he scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds in 27 minutes against Colorado State and should get plenty of playing time tonight.

"We don't have many big bodies," Ware said. "Just me and Carl. I expect to play a lot of minutes."

Purdue has staged the Blockbuster in Indianapolis every year since 1993 except during the 2002-03 season, when it was canceled to make room for the Boilers' nonconference game against Indiana at the RCA Dome.

The event has been plagued by dwindling attendance. Tonight's crowd is not expected to meet or surpass the 6,705 who attended last year's Blockbuster (men vs. Central Michigan; women vs. UCLA).

Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke has said the Boilers will continue to play in the Wooden Tradition -- held over Thanksgiving weekend at the fieldhouse -- or the Blockbuster, but not both, after this season. Burke said this week a final decision will be made in January.

"I think what has become apparent is the event has lost some of the luster it had," Burke said of the Blockbuster. "I think the corridor between Indianapolis and West Lafayette is a lot tighter than it was 12 years ago."

In the opener, the 20th-ranked Purdue women play No.3 Duke.