Busting Brackets
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Missouri Valley Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

By Jason Burgess

Mar 7, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Loyola Ramblers pose for a photo after defeating the Drake Bulldogs in the finals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Loyola Ramblers pose for a photo after defeating the Drake Bulldogs in the finals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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University of Evansville’s Jax Levitch Missouri Valley Basketball Ue Vs Missouri State Bball 21
University of Evansville’s Jax Levitch Missouri Valley Basketball Ue Vs Missouri State Bball 21 /

9. Evansville Purple Aces

2020-21 record: 9-16 overall,7-11 in the MVC

Over the past two seasons, the Evansville Purple Aces have won nine games in each, but last season was a marked improvement for Todd Lickliter’s crew over the 2019-20 campaign. Two years ago, they ended the season by losing 19 straight after beginning the year 9-4, and while they finished last season at 9-16, they went 7-11 in the Missouri Valley to finish in the middle of the pack.

Last season Evansville went with largely a seven-man rotation with five of those cogs returning. Guard Samari Curtis transferred to Bowling Green and forward Jax Levitch graduated, but back is the senior guard trio of Jawaun Newton, Shamar Givance, and Noah Frederking who scored 37 of the team’s 64.8 points per game last season while shooting over 45% from the field.

Evansville is a curious team b/c even though they did only win nine games last season, they did beat Northern Iowa twice and Indiana State. In a league like the MVC, even a small improvement on both ends of the floor for the Purple Aces could make a world of difference.

Offensively their points per game output were near the bottom of Division I and giving up nearly 70 points per game was a conference worst. If they can make some gains in those areas, then that would be another step forward for Evansville this season.