EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Interstat) — A surging Bradley team looks to continue its climb in the Missouri Valley Conference standings when it visits struggling Evansville on Tuesday night at Ford Center.

The Braves (12-6, 3-2 MVC) have won two straight and seven of their last nine, including a 75-69 home victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday. They will be heavily favored against a Purple Aces squad (5-13, 1-4) that has lost eight of its last ten but is coming off a rare road win, 72-69 at Indiana State.

Bradley won the first meeting this season, 76-68 at home on Dec. 29. A key figure in that victory, forward Ahmet Jonovic, enters in strong form. He scored 16 points in 24 minutes against Northern Iowa and is averaging 9.1 points over his last seven games. His interior presence will challenge an Evansville defense that has allowed 70 or more points in six of its last seven contests.

The Purple Aces’ hopes likely hinge on the play of guard Leif Moeller, who is coming off a season-best performance. In the upset of Indiana State, Moeller played 34 minutes, scoring 17 points and dishing out eight assists. His ability to facilitate and score will be critical against a Bradley defense that has held opponents to 68.8 points per game during its current winning streak.

Evansville’s victory at Indiana State snapped a four-game skid and provided a potential momentum boost. However, consistency has been elusive; the team has not won consecutive games since late November. Bradley, meanwhile, has established itself as a contender in the Valley, with its six losses coming by an average of just over 10 points, including a triple-overtime thriller at Indiana State.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST. Following this game, Bradley travels to face Illinois State on Saturday, while Evansville hits the road to play at Illinois-Chicago next Tuesday.