ACES..ACES
02-11-2007, 06:53 AM
Aces want to get off of the roller coaster
By STEVE FORD
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7511 or fords@courierpress.com
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Riding a roller coaster can be fun, but it can also make you puke.
That's been the University of Evansville's men's basketball season in a barf bag - and an overview of many games - heading into today's 3:30 p.m. matchup with old rival Indiana State at Roberts Stadium.
The Aces (12-13, 5-9 Missouri Valley Conference) have been on a ride with little dips and turns, exciting climbs and gut-wrenching drops into the dark Valley.
The drops - a five-game league losing streak earlier in the season and the current four-game skid - have been enough to turn the UE faithful as purple as their shirts.
Enter the Sycamores (12-12, 5-9 MVC), a potential dose of Pepto Bismol to settle some queasy Aces' stomachs. They've lost eight of their last nine games and are just 2-9 on the road.
The only problem is Evansville landed right in the middle of their seven-game losing streak, leaving Terre Haute with an improbable 50-49 win on Jan. 24 when Art Stalbergs picked up a dropped pass and scored in the final seconds.
"I'm sure they'll remember that one," said UE senior forward Matt Webster, who dropped the ball to Stalbergs. "But that doesn't matter. It's time for us to get on the upswing again.
"We've been going up and down for four years here and it's time for us to stop. It's time to start climbing again right into the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. We've been playing not to lose, like early in the season. It's time to play to win again."
Wednesday's 79-74 loss at league-leading Creighton was a prime example of another up-and-down UE game. The Aces opened with their best half of the year and forged a 48-34 lead at the break.
But the Bluejays came back with a 25-4 run to open the second half. The Aces recovered from that enough to take a brief lead on two Justin Petty free throws, but not enough to hold the lead for a win.
Aces coach Steve Merfeld said that was just the nature of the game.
"If we could take one of those four- or six-minute sections out of every game we might be undefeated," said Merfeld. "Basketball is a game of runs and in our league the team that makes the last run usually wins.
"We just have to put ourselves in the same position we did at Creighton and then re-focus and get the win. That's the first thing we have to do, win a game. That's all we're trying to do (today)."
Indiana State has been struggling to score. The Sycamores have averaged just 54 points a game during their recent 1-8 stretch, something Webster said the Aces need to exploit.
"We've got to keep playing good defense," said Webster, a 16.4-point scorer, "but we've got to put pressure on them offensively, play like we did in the first half at Creighton. We were aggressive. We moved the ball and made shots."
Five Aces hit double figures against the Bluejays and three more average 10 or more points. They're Kyle Anslinger (10.7), Jason Holsinger (10.5) and Bradley Strickland (10.1).
Strickland and Anslinger, who will start his 100th game today, are also both nearing 1,000 career points. Strickland needs 12 and Anslinger 19.
© 2006 The Evansville Courier Co.
By STEVE FORD
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7511 or fords@courierpress.com
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Riding a roller coaster can be fun, but it can also make you puke.
That's been the University of Evansville's men's basketball season in a barf bag - and an overview of many games - heading into today's 3:30 p.m. matchup with old rival Indiana State at Roberts Stadium.
The Aces (12-13, 5-9 Missouri Valley Conference) have been on a ride with little dips and turns, exciting climbs and gut-wrenching drops into the dark Valley.
The drops - a five-game league losing streak earlier in the season and the current four-game skid - have been enough to turn the UE faithful as purple as their shirts.
Enter the Sycamores (12-12, 5-9 MVC), a potential dose of Pepto Bismol to settle some queasy Aces' stomachs. They've lost eight of their last nine games and are just 2-9 on the road.
The only problem is Evansville landed right in the middle of their seven-game losing streak, leaving Terre Haute with an improbable 50-49 win on Jan. 24 when Art Stalbergs picked up a dropped pass and scored in the final seconds.
"I'm sure they'll remember that one," said UE senior forward Matt Webster, who dropped the ball to Stalbergs. "But that doesn't matter. It's time for us to get on the upswing again.
"We've been going up and down for four years here and it's time for us to stop. It's time to start climbing again right into the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. We've been playing not to lose, like early in the season. It's time to play to win again."
Wednesday's 79-74 loss at league-leading Creighton was a prime example of another up-and-down UE game. The Aces opened with their best half of the year and forged a 48-34 lead at the break.
But the Bluejays came back with a 25-4 run to open the second half. The Aces recovered from that enough to take a brief lead on two Justin Petty free throws, but not enough to hold the lead for a win.
Aces coach Steve Merfeld said that was just the nature of the game.
"If we could take one of those four- or six-minute sections out of every game we might be undefeated," said Merfeld. "Basketball is a game of runs and in our league the team that makes the last run usually wins.
"We just have to put ourselves in the same position we did at Creighton and then re-focus and get the win. That's the first thing we have to do, win a game. That's all we're trying to do (today)."
Indiana State has been struggling to score. The Sycamores have averaged just 54 points a game during their recent 1-8 stretch, something Webster said the Aces need to exploit.
"We've got to keep playing good defense," said Webster, a 16.4-point scorer, "but we've got to put pressure on them offensively, play like we did in the first half at Creighton. We were aggressive. We moved the ball and made shots."
Five Aces hit double figures against the Bluejays and three more average 10 or more points. They're Kyle Anslinger (10.7), Jason Holsinger (10.5) and Bradley Strickland (10.1).
Strickland and Anslinger, who will start his 100th game today, are also both nearing 1,000 career points. Strickland needs 12 and Anslinger 19.
© 2006 The Evansville Courier Co.