Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: Every Missouri Valley team’s most successful season since 2000

By Shea Irish

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30: Fred Van Vleet #23 and Cleanthony Early #11 of the Wichita State Shockers celebrate after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 70-66 during the West Regional Final of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 30: Fred Van Vleet #23 and Cleanthony Early #11 of the Wichita State Shockers celebrate after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 70-66 during the West Regional Final of the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 30, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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D.J. Balentine Evansville Aces (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
D.J. Balentine Evansville Aces (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Evansville Purple Aces

Year: 2015-16

Record: 25-9 (12-6)

NCAA Tournament Results: Did not make it.

-The Purple Aces haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1998-99.

Head Coach: Marty Simmons

Notable Players:

D.J. Balentine 6’2” SR (20.5 PPG, 4.4 APG):

-The 2016 MVC 1st-Team Selection would end his career as Evansville’s all-time leading scorer with 2,464 career points.

Egidijus Mockevicius 6’10” SR (15.7 PPG, 14.0 RPG) :

-The 2016 MVC Defensive Player of the Year would lead the nation in rebounding for the season.

Jaylon Brown 6’0” JR (10.8 PPG)

Season Summary:

On a quest for the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since the ‘99 Tournament, Evansville would begin the 2015-16 season at 17-3 overall and 6-1 in Valley play. Advancing all the way to the Missouri Valley Championship game that season, the Purple Aces would fall just short of the elusive opportunity.

After digging themselves into a 14 point deficit at halftime against Northern Iowa, they would fight all the way back to tie the game at 54 in the final seconds. Unfortunately, they would lose the game in heartbreaking fashion on Wes Washpun’s back rim bouncing buzzer-beater. Even with the unfortunate end to their season, the 2015-16 Purple Aces won the most single-season games in school history. Still without a tournament appearance since the 1999 NCAA Tournament, Evansville will head into the 2022-23 season on a 23 year tournament drought.

Another Season Worth Honorable Mention: In 2014-15; just a year before the season mentioned above, Evansville would win 24 games, the second-most in school history at the time.