University of Evansville Military Appreciation Night Tonight!

Military Appreciation Night will take place tonight (Tuesday) when the University of Evansville men’s basketball team plays host to Wichita State at 8pm inside the Ford Center.

All current and former military personnel receive two free tickets to the game with their military ID.  Tuesday’s contest against the Shockers will hold a special place in the heart of Solomon Hainna following his military service.  Hainna served in the Air Force for five years before embarking on his college basketball career; coincidentally, his first Division I game against Louisville took place on Veteran’s Day.

Tuesday’s game will mark the 100th contest at the Ford Center for the Aces.  In the first 99 games, UE has posted a record of 72-27, a .727 winning percentage.  Evansville opened the arena with a thrilling 80-77 overtime win against defending National Finalist Butler and has won three games against seven ranked opponents at the facility.

Preseason Missouri Valley Conference favorite Wichita State enters Tuesday’s meeting with an overall mark of 15-4 and a 5-1 league record.  The Shockers saw a 6-game win streak halted on Saturday night, dropping a 76-62 game at Illinois State.  Markis McDuffie is one of three WSU players to average double figures, standing at 12-5 points per game.  Just behind him is Darral Willis Jr., who checks in with 12.1 points and a team-best 6.2 boards; Landry Shamet is averaging 10.6 PPG.  Willis and Shamet paced the Shockers on Saturday against the Redbirds, scoring 14 points apiece.

Winning the last seven meetings against the Aces, the Shockers own a 29-16 edge in the overall series.  Evansville owns an 11-10 advantage in home games, but WSU has defended its home court against UE, going 17-5 in 22 meetings in Wichita.

Information courtesy of Bob Pristash, University of Evansville Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations