Busting Brackets
Fansided

Missouri Valley Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2018-19

By TJ Miller

SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 31: Loyola Ramblers fans cheer before the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four Semifinal against the Michigan Wolverines at the Alamodome on March 31, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 31: Loyola Ramblers fans cheer before the 2018 NCAA Men's Final Four Semifinal against the Michigan Wolverines at the Alamodome on March 31, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KY – NOVEMBER 11: Head coach Marty Simmons of the Evansville Purple Aces reacts against the Louisville Cardinals in the first half of the game at KFC YUM! Center on November 11, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville defeated Evansville 78-47. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY – NOVEMBER 11: Head coach Marty Simmons of the Evansville Purple Aces reacts against the Louisville Cardinals in the first half of the game at KFC YUM! Center on November 11, 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville defeated Evansville 78-47. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

10. Evansville Aces

2017-18 season: 17-15 (7-11)

Man is this business tough or what? Marty Simmons was shown the door just two seasons after finishing 2nd in the MVC and losing on a buzzer beater in the finals of Arch Madness in St. Louis. But there hasn’t been much positive since 2015-16. After a drop to 8th place in 2016-17, the Aces went just 2-5 this past February to stumble to another disappointing bottom half finish.

1st-year head coach Walter McCarty faces several challenges as he will look to right the ship.

Last years leading scorer Ryan Taylor decided to head to Northwestern to finish his career as a grad transfer. The first team All-Conference guard averaged 21.3 ppg accounting for almost a third of the team’s scoring. The Aces also lose junior guard Dru Smith (13.7 ppg) via transfer and Blake Simmons and Duane Gibson to graduation.

McCarty will have K.J. Riley, Noah Frederking, and Dainius Chatkevicius coming back. All three received consistent playing time and will look to be leaders in McCarty’s debut coaching season. More good news came a few days ago when Sam Cunliffe announced he’d chosen Evansville. After brief stints at Kansas and Arizona St., Cunliffe will join Artur Labinowicz, a transfer from Coastal Carolina in sitting out the 2018-19 season before being eligible the next season.

It’s hard to envision Evansville finishing above the bottom few teams amidst a transition but there are good vibes for 2019-20.