EVANSVILLE — It’s officially happening.
University of Evansville and University of Southern Indiana will play a men’s basketball non-conference matchup at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, at Ford Center, both schools announced on Monday, June 15 in partnership with Evansville Regional Sports Commission and presenting sponsor Old National Bank.
Labeled the River City Classic, it will be the first meeting between the programs since a 2019 preseason exhibition and first with both schools as Division I members.
The schools will split tickets 50-50 for the game at the downtown arena, which can hold up to 11,000 spectators, and be designated a neutral site contest. This follows years of back-and-forth on the topic of a possible meeting after USI made the jump to Division I in 2022.
“The River City Classic is exactly the type of event the Evansville Regional Sports Commission strives to bring to our community,” ERSC executive director Brandon McClish said in a statement. “There are thousands of people throughout the region who have attended, worked for, supported or cheered for USI and UE over the years. Bringing these two programs together at the Ford Center provides a special opportunity to celebrate those connections while creating an exciting experience for student-athletes, fans and our community. We are proud to work alongside Old National Bank, USI and UE to make this event possible.”
Both athletic directors previously told the Courier & Press two years ago that very informal discussions started but neither side could agree on specific points such as the location. Evansville wanted games only at Ford Center. Southern Indiana countered with a home-and-home series that included Liberty Arena. The two sides have finally come to an agreement for an early season matchup between the flagship programs of each athletic department.
UE and USI played each other in seven sports during the 2025-26 athletic school year: baseball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, softball and volleyball. The announcement didn’t include a meeting in women’s basketball, but both athletic directors confirmed that matchup is in the works.
The matchup follows a pair of disappointing seasons from both programs.
The Purple Aces were 7-25 last season, ending with a first-round loss to Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, in David Ragland’s fourth season. He currently has a 40-91 record and signed an extension last year that is believed to run through 2029-2030. UE lost six players to the transfer portal, but notably returned senior forward AJ Casey and sophomore guard Bryce Quinet.
The Screaming Eagles went 7-23 in Stan Gouard’s sixth season at his alma mater. USI finished four games behind Eastern Illinois for the final spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament at Ford Center. Gouard, whose contract runs through 2029, has a 71-97 record during his time in Evansville. Southern Indiana has another rebooted roster with 11 new players announced since May 12.
UE defeated USI 71-68 in overtime during the preseason meeting seven years ago in front of a reported 6,263 fans. They have played five times with the Aces winning every contest: 2004, 2005, 2008 (double overtime), 2012 and 2019.
This story has been updated.
Kyle Sokeland is a sports reporter for the Courier & Press. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kylesokeland or email at kyle.sokeland@courierpress.com.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville vs Southern Indiana men’s basketball game set for November
Reporting by Kyle Sokeland, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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By Kyle Sokeland, Evansville Courier & Press | USA TODAY Network
