Preview: Evansville at Indiana State

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (Interstat) — Two Missouri Valley Conference teams trending in opposite directions will meet Saturday when the Indiana State Sycamores host the Evansville Purple Aces at Hulman Center.

Indiana State (8-8, 1-2 MVC) looks to get back to .500 in conference play and build momentum after a narrow 74-72 road loss at Drake last Sunday. The Sycamores have shown resilience, including an overtime win over Belmont on Dec. 29.

Evansville (4-13, 0-3) seeks its first league victory amid a seven-game losing streak. The Purple Aces are coming off a 79-69 home loss to Murray State on Wednesday.

The matchup features two of the conference’s top individual performers. Evansville will lean on forward AJ Casey, who is averaging 18.7 points over his last three games. He scored 24 in the loss to Murray State. For Indiana State, guard Ian Scott has been a consistent force, averaging 17.8 points over his last five contests. He posted 16 points, six rebounds and three assists in the close call at Drake.

The Sycamores have found success at home this season, boasting a 5-2 record in Terre Haute. Evansville is 3-5 in true road games, with its last win away from home coming on Dec. 3.

Historically, Indiana State has dominated the series, winning 15 of the last 17 meetings. The teams will meet again in Evansville on Feb. 3.

For the Purple Aces to snap their skid, they must find scoring support beyond Casey and improve defensively after allowing an average of 74.4 points during their losing streak. Indiana State aims to capitalize on its home court advantage and balance, with three players scoring in double figures in the loss to Drake.

Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. EST Saturday.