The University of Evansville men’s basketball team secured a narrow 78-76 victory over the University of Southern Indiana in the inaugural River City Classic on Saturday night at the Ford Center. The highly anticipated matchup between the two local programs required overtime to decide a winner, with the Purple Aces ultimately prevailing in the final minutes of the extra period.
Bryce Quinet led the offensive effort for Evansville, contributing a game-high 23 points. Teammate AJ Casey added 19 points and eight rebounds to the effort. The game remained competitive throughout, with USI holding a lead in the closing moments of regulation. However, a clutch three-pointer by Max Langenfeld with only eight seconds remaining forced the game into overtime.
Langenfeld continued his impactful performance in the extra session, hitting another pivotal three-pointer that gave the Purple Aces the lead for good. Reflecting on the intense environment, UE head coach David Ragland noted, “It was a fun experience and a great atmosphere. The crowd was electric from the start. The city needed it and both schools needed it.”
The Screaming Eagles, led by Afan Trnka’s 22 points, battled throughout the contest but struggled to capitalize at the free-throw line, finishing at 46.7% compared to Evansville’s 61.9%. While USI managed to outrebound the Aces 47-45, the late-game execution by Evansville proved to be the deciding factor.
This contest marked the first time the two universities have met as NCAA Division I competitors in a regular-season game. Coaches and players from both sides emphasized the significance of the event for the local community. Ragland expressed pride in his team’s resilience, stating, “I am proud to come out on the winning end of the game. Both teams responded every time they were behind, and I told our guys we just need to be one point better. We dug deep and got the job done.” The victory brings Evansville to a 2-0 start for the season.