NASHVILLE — The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will face the top of the Missouri Valley Conference on the road this week.
The Purple Aces ended a six game losing streak on Sunday with their first Missouri Valley Conference win of 2025. UE led for over 37 minutes in the 85-70 victory over the Southern Illinois Salukis at Meeks Family Fieldhouse. Evansville’s 85-point outpouring in its win over the Salukis marked the Aces’ second-highest scoring output of the season against a Division I opponent. UE had only its second game of the season with five players scoring in double figures facing Southern Illinois.
Evansville’s freshmen were the most productive contributors last week for the Aces. Across two games the Aces first year players scored 113 of UE’s 142 points accounting for 79.6% of Evansville’s offense. This included three freshman setting career scoring highs against either Missouri State or Southern Illinois. On three separate occasions on Friday against Missouri State all five of Evansville’s players on the floor were true freshman for 7 minutes and 19 seconds.
The Aces begin their tough road trip in the Music City with an evening game at Belmont on Friday. The Bruins are currently on a five game winning streak in Valley play with a 5-1 conference record. Belmont’s lone loss in MVC action came at Missouri State to open 2025 as the Bruins came a bucket shy of tying the Lady Bears. Belmont is led by the reigning Valley Freshman of the Year, guard Jailyn Banks who is averaging 13.5 points and 2.9 assists a game.
UE will then play the Murray State Racers on Sunday afternoon who also have a 5-1 MVC record. The Races are having a record Valley season so far in their third year in the conference as they lead the conference in nine separate statistical categories. Murray State currently paces the MVC in both scoring offense and rebounds to control both sides of the ball. Graduate forward Kaitlyn Young leads the Racers on both sides of the ball as she leads the nation with 2,602 career points. Young is also one of just seven active players in NCAA women’s basketball to have 2,000-plus points and 1,000-plus rebounds in all Divisions
With back-to-back 18 point scoring performances local product Avery Kelley was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week. In two games Kelley scored just over 25% of the Aces points as she averaged 28.5 minutes, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The point guard is now the second UE freshman to earn the honor as Evansville has had seven out of the 11 Freshman of the Week awards.
Along with Kelley setting a career high in scoring two other freshman Aces had career performances over the past week. Forward Elle Snyder led UE in the team’s win over Southern Illinois on Sunday. Snyder had a 19 point game thanks to a career-high five made threes behind the arc. She was also third on the team in rebounds, grabbing seven boards. On Friday against Missouri State guard Logan Leubbers Palmer had her best game on offense putting up 15 points in 30 minutes. Palmer excelled at the line, making six free throws while adding four field goals.
