Evansville Aces under the radar

[Catfish]

Green Bay beat number 15 Miami on their home court by 13. We missed a wide open 3 and a 10 footer to lose by 2 on a neutral court to Green Bay for only loss. DJ was 5-15 and Mock played 12 minutes. More than two players contributing good minutes this year.

[Dean Wormer]

Easy on Coach Simmons coaching ability. Evansville has struggled to recruit with no campus life, turnover of assistant coaches leaving for more pay, and tougher academic entrance than other Valley schools. The foreign influence has evened the playing field more and we can now match up with size, speed, and shooters. Let's see how he coaches with his first deep and talented roster.

I also hope the Aces do very well this year, and do agree that this is the most talented team Marty has had, but I think it's very fair to question his ability.

This is year 8 of the Simmons era. He has yet to have any substantial success, despite 4 years of Colt Ryan and 2 of DJ. There are many, myself included, that thinks he has over-coached many of those teams, and runs a limited offense. Do you really think UE is any tougher to get in than Drake, Bradley, Loyola and Creighton? As others has said, hopefully he does something different this year. But it is fair, until proven otherwise, to question what he and the team can accomplish.

[Ace Dad]

Too early. Give me 4-5 Valley games.

[GoAcesgo]

Too early. Give me 4-5 Valley games.

I agree with this Ace Dad.

[rlh04d]

Easy on Coach Simmons coaching ability. Evansville has struggled to recruit with no campus life, turnover of assistant coaches leaving for more pay, and tougher academic entrance than other Valley schools. The foreign influence has evened the playing field more and we can now match up with size, speed, and shooters. Let's see how he coaches with his first deep and talented roster.

I also hope the Aces do very well this year, and do agree that this is the most talented team Marty has had, but I think it's very fair to question his ability.

This is year 8 of the Simmons era. He has yet to have any substantial success, despite 4 years of Colt Ryan and 2 of DJ. There are many, myself included, that thinks he has over-coached many of those teams, and runs a limited offense. Do you really think UE is any tougher to get in than Drake, Bradley, Loyola and Creighton? As others has said, hopefully he does something different this year. But it is fair, until proven otherwise, to question what he and the team can accomplish.

I agree with this.

Seven years under Simmons and Evansville has never made the NIT, finished in the top half of the Valley three times, and finished over .500 twice. I'd love to see Evansville be good this year, because, quite frankly, I just want SOMEONE in this conference to step up ... but it's going to take more than we've seen so far before I buy it, given Marty's history.

I'm crossing my fingers for you guys ... but Evansville's D1 victories are over teams that are a combined 9-18 against D1 competition so far (for comparison sake, WSU's opponents are 13-14, UNI's are 23-25). At this point just be quietly pleased and wait until the conference gets going.

[Aargh]

UE is starting to look like the favorite for 3rd in the MVC. The scoring is more balanced, which will make game-planning a lot more difficult.

Non-con is often different than conference play because of the scouting and knowledge of the opponents' schemes in league play. UE is showing more weapons this year, and the D seems to have picked up, too.

[Lou_Valley]

Saw Evansville in the exhibition season against McKendree, and I thought the margin was so large because McKendree was down.

Nope, turns out the Aces are quite good. Good luck to your team too.

[Catfish]

Since some Valley people want to talk about the schedule and the past. This is a coaches poll and RPI takes schedule into account. Even Tom Crean could coach when he had talent. This team has talent and is well coached. Reserve judgement until you have seen them play. I was sick of Kentucky fans saying Wichita State had no chance because of their schedule, and now they are saying that about Evansville. Let's take three from Valley and be happy together.

Update: December 1st, 2014


RECORD POINTS PREVIOUS
1. Wichita State (25) 4-0 769 1 Missouri Valley
2. Gonzaga (6) 6-0 748 2 West Coast
3. Northern Iowa 7-0 706 4 Missouri Valley
4. Saint Mary's 5-0 632 6 West Coast
5. Harvard 4-1 629 5 Ivy League
6. Belmont 6-1 599 8 Ohio Valley
7. Green Bay 4-1 579 9 Horizon
8. BYU 5-2 545 3 West Coast
9. Akron 4-2 481 7 Mid-American
10. Stephen F. Austin 3-3 423 11 Southland
11. Georgia State 5-2 411 13 Sun Belt
12. Iona 4-2 399 12 Metro Atlantic
13. UC Irvine 3-2 361 18 Big West
14. Valparaiso 7-1 355 NR Horizon
15. Evansville 4-1 315 15 Missouri Valley
16. Florida Gulf Coast 6-1 314 16 Atlantic Sun
17. Western Michigan 5-2 213 17 Mid-American
18. Eastern Washington 6-1 193 NR Big Sky
19. Wofford 5-2 175 19 Southern
20. Eastern Michigan 6-0 162 NR Mid-American
21. Toledo 2-4 146 10 Mid-American
22. Cleveland State 3-3 111 21 Horizon
23. Northeastern 5-1 108 22 Colonial
24. Holy Cross 3-1 106 23 Patriot
25. Yale 6-2 87 25 Ivy League


OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: William & Mary 48, Bowling Green 36, Long Beach State 33, Buffalo 32, Murray State 32, Army 31, Portland State 29, UC Santa Barbara 28, Eastern Kentucky 27, Central Michigan 24, Missouri State 23, Louisiana Lafayette 18, New Mexico State 14, UC Davis 14, Hofstra 11, Incarnate Word 11, Towson 11, Portland 10, Stony Brook 10, Columbia 8, Denver 8, North Dakota State 8, Hawaii 7, Illimois State 7, Charleston Southern 5, Georgia Southern 5, San Francisco 5, Quininipiac 4, UALR 4, Radford 2, Chattanooga 1, Gardner Webb 1, Western Carolina 1.


VOTING PANEL: Milan Brown (Holy Cross), Will Brown (Albany), Jim Les (UC Davis), Jamion Christian (Mount St. Mary's), Billy Donlon (Wright State), James Fox (Appalachian State), Tyler Geving (Portland State), Derrin Hansen (Nebraska-Omaha), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Willie Hayes (Alabama A&M), B.J. Hill (Northern Colorado), Jason Hooten (Sam Houston State), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), James Jones (Yale), Mike Jones (Radford), Robert Jones (Norfolk State), Greg Kampe (Oakland), Danny Kaspar (Texas State), Tod Kowalczyk (Toledo), Greg Lansing (Indiana State), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Bob Marlin (UL-Lafayette), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Jeff Neubauer (Eastern Kentucky), Rob O'Driscoll (James Madison), Jimmy Patsos (Siena), Ron Verlin (Pacific), Will Wade (Chattanooga).


* Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins is the chairman of the Top 25 voting panel for the 2014-15 season.


NOTE: The Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast, Western Athletic.


The CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 is now in its sixteenth season of existence.

[Wufan]

Since some Valley people want to talk about the schedule and the past. This is a coaches poll and RPI takes schedule into account. Even Tom Crean could coach when he had talent. This team has talent and is well coached. Reserve judgement until you have seen them play. I was sick of Kentucky fans saying Wichita State had no chance because of their schedule, and now they are saying that about Evansville. Let's take three from Valley and be happy together.

Update: December 1st, 2014


RECORD POINTS PREVIOUS
1. Wichita State (25) 4-0 769 1 Missouri Valley
2. Gonzaga (6) 6-0 748 2 West Coast
3. Northern Iowa 7-0 706 4 Missouri Valley
4. Saint Mary's 5-0 632 6 West Coast
5. Harvard 4-1 629 5 Ivy League
6. Belmont 6-1 599 8 Ohio Valley
7. Green Bay 4-1 579 9 Horizon
8. BYU 5-2 545 3 West Coast
9. Akron 4-2 481 7 Mid-American
10. Stephen F. Austin 3-3 423 11 Southland
11. Georgia State 5-2 411 13 Sun Belt
12. Iona 4-2 399 12 Metro Atlantic
13. UC Irvine 3-2 361 18 Big West
14. Valparaiso 7-1 355 NR Horizon
15. Evansville 4-1 315 15 Missouri Valley
16. Florida Gulf Coast 6-1 314 16 Atlantic Sun
17. Western Michigan 5-2 213 17 Mid-American
18. Eastern Washington 6-1 193 NR Big Sky
19. Wofford 5-2 175 19 Southern
20. Eastern Michigan 6-0 162 NR Mid-American
21. Toledo 2-4 146 10 Mid-American
22. Cleveland State 3-3 111 21 Horizon
23. Northeastern 5-1 108 22 Colonial
24. Holy Cross 3-1 106 23 Patriot
25. Yale 6-2 87 25 Ivy League


OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: William & Mary 48, Bowling Green 36, Long Beach State 33, Buffalo 32, Murray State 32, Army 31, Portland State 29, UC Santa Barbara 28, Eastern Kentucky 27, Central Michigan 24, Missouri State 23, Louisiana Lafayette 18, New Mexico State 14, UC Davis 14, Hofstra 11, Incarnate Word 11, Towson 11, Portland 10, Stony Brook 10, Columbia 8, Denver 8, North Dakota State 8, Hawaii 7, Illimois State 7, Charleston Southern 5, Georgia Southern 5, San Francisco 5, Quininipiac 4, UALR 4, Radford 2, Chattanooga 1, Gardner Webb 1, Western Carolina 1.


VOTING PANEL: Milan Brown (Holy Cross), Will Brown (Albany), Jim Les (UC Davis), Jamion Christian (Mount St. Mary's), Billy Donlon (Wright State), James Fox (Appalachian State), Tyler Geving (Portland State), Derrin Hansen (Nebraska-Omaha), Steve Hawkins (Western Michigan), Willie Hayes (Alabama A&M), B.J. Hill (Northern Colorado), Jason Hooten (Sam Houston State), Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley), James Jones (Yale), Mike Jones (Radford), Robert Jones (Norfolk State), Greg Kampe (Oakland), Danny Kaspar (Texas State), Tod Kowalczyk (Toledo), Greg Lansing (Indiana State), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Bob Marlin (UL-Lafayette), Tom Moore (Quinnipiac), Jeff Neubauer (Eastern Kentucky), Rob O'Driscoll (James Madison), Jimmy Patsos (Siena), Ron Verlin (Pacific), Will Wade (Chattanooga).


* Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins is the chairman of the Top 25 voting panel for the 2014-15 season.


NOTE: The Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast, Western Athletic.


The CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 is now in its sixteenth season of existence.

Last year, when the nation was talking about WSU's week schedule, they were speaking about it in regards to being #2 in the nation. This shows that Evansville is #15 amongst the field when almost 100 teams are removed from qualification. Not exactly the same thing. No worries. Keep winning.

[Atlanta Ace]

I agree with Wufan here Catfish. It's not the same. You've posted a Top 25 Mid Major Poll and eliminated all P5 schools.

As a fellow Aces fan, I enjoy reading anything that portrays the Aces basketball program and university in a good light. Our schedule isn't doing us any favors. It's weak. A shot at the NCAA Tournament looks very remote.

Several programs in the MVC have experienced much more success than we have. At least the program is moving in that direction even though it has taken much longer than most Aces fans have wanted. Enjoy the ride for what it is and enjoy what positives this season brings. We still have a long way to go. Go Aces!