USI, UE to meet in first-ever, regular-season Men’s Basketball matchup
University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball will meet the University of Evansville in a regular-season game for the first time this November. The announcement was made Monday morning by the Evansville Regional Sports Commission, in partnership with Old National Bank, at the Ford Center.
“This is a meaningful moment for our University and for the Evansville community,” said USI President Steven J. Bridges. “We appreciate the Evansville Regional Sports Commission and their partners for creating an event that showcases the vibrant spirit of our region and enriches our campuses and community by bringing neighbors together in a positive way.”
The two teams will compete in the River City Classic at the Ford Center Saturday, November 7. The contest will be a neutral site game, with the court setup, game operations and seating arrangements reflecting a true neutral-site environment.
Season ticket holders from both universities will have an opportunity to reserve their seats before tickets are made available to the general public. Additional ticket information will be provided at a later date.
USI and UE have met in four very competitive exhibitions since 2004, with UE gaining the upper hand in each of the four contests. Two games went to overtime, with the 2008 meeting being decided in double-overtime (71-67 at Roberts Stadium).
“We are excited to compete against a great local program with a great coach in David (Ragland),” USI Head Coach Stan Gouard said. “Anytime two local teams get a chance to play each other, there’s an added level of excitement. I know that our fans look forward to it, and we’re happy to be a part of an event that shines the spotlight on both programs, and the city of Evansville.”
The Screaming Eagles and Purple Aces have met in several sports since USI made the transition to Division I prior to the 2022-23 season. The two schools have met head-to-head as NCAA Division I foes in baseball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming & diving and volleyball. USI has also competed against UE in cross country as well as track & field.
“We appreciate all the community partners that came together to make this event happen,” said USI Vice President and Director of Athletics Jon Mark Hall. “Bringing the community together for an event like this is important to us and our goal is to continue to use intercollegiate athletics in this manner. From a scheduling standpoint, it is important for our programs to schedule in order to prepare them for OVC play and this game does that. We hope our USI students, alumni and the entire Tri-state community come out to the Ford Center on November 7 to see the first DI regular season Men’s Basketball game between USI and UE.”