The campus community is invited to the groundbreaking ceremony and news conference for the next stage of the facilities master plan: new townhouse apartments that will house approximately 150 UE students beginning this August. To learn more about the project, please visit the Residence Life website.

The ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 18 at the Walnut Commons construction site at the corner of Walnut and Rotherwood. (The gates to the parking lot will be open, and guests can enter off Rotherwood Avenue.) The rain location is the Class of 1959 Gallery and Lounge, Ridgway University Center. We hope to see you there! 

We will be restarting all IP phone on campus Sunday, March 17 at 5:30 a.m.  This restart is required so that the phones receive a software update to fix an issue we are experiencing. The phones will be down at most 5 minutes while they download and install the update.  If you would like for your phone to receive the update early you can restart your phone by pressing the services button and then **#**.  This will cause your phone to reboot and receive the update.  If you do the update early, your phone will still restart but will come back up immediately as it will not need to go through the update process. If you have any questions contact Josh Norrick at  jn44@evansville.edu.

The Zerah Priestly Carter Scholarship Application Deadline is TODAY, March 15!

Please e-mail or send all applications for the Zerah Priestly Carter Scholarship to the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations by 5:00 p.m., today!  If you’d like to drop off your application, bring it to the office, located in the John L. and Belle Igleheart Building (A stone house behind the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building).

University of Evansville African American Alumni raised the funds to make this an endowed scholarship and named it in honor of Ms. Zerah Priestly Carter ’38, the first African American graduate of the University. This scholarship is awarded, each year, to a deserving African American UE student at the Annual UEAAA Luncheon. This year, the award is $3,200.00!  The luncheon will take place on Saturday, April 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The 2013 scholarship funds are in addition to other financial aid/scholarships awarded to the recipient!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Donna Jones or Angela Williams at 812-488-2586 or e-mail us at Alumni@evansville.edu.   

The Department of Theatre opens Crimes of the Heart, by Beth Henley, on Friday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the May Studio Theatre. The show will continue with performances at 7:30 p.m. on March 16, 18, 19, and 20, and at 2:00 p.m. on March 17. This 1981 Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a poignant snapshot of sibling rivalry set in a small Southern town. The three eccentric Magrath sisters humorously tackle issues of abandonment, adultery, and racial injustice in this dark comedy.

Collin Matthew Jones, a senior theatre generalist from New Albany, Ind., directs the play. The Magrath sisters are played by juniors Kelsey Miller; Olivia Shrum; and sophomore Logan Elizabeth Hardy. The cast also features performances from senior Aaron Fentress; juniors Ross DeWitt; and Katherine Nykanen.

The all-student creative team for Crimes of the Heart includes scenic design by junior Sarah Dory; lighting design by junior Jenna Dabkowski; costume design by junior Moriah James; and sound design by sophomore Alexis Richards. The play’s Technical Director is senior Mollie Hamilton and the Stage Manager is junior Rebekah Carriere.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for senior adults, students and UE faculty and staff. UE students may pick up their free student rush ticket beginning at 12 pm on the day of the performance they wish to attend. Seating is limited. For reservations, call the ticket office at 812/488-2031.

Dr. Kevin Miller, assistant professor at Murray State who received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Notre Dame, is at UE today to present his research, "Correlating Structural Variations with the Thermal Properties of Imidazolium-Containing Polyester Networks".  His presentation is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Room 101, Koch Center.  Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend!  Take advantage of this opportunity to make connections with a professor from another university and to learn more about organic chemistry!

Father Dusty Burns, pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, will be the celebrant for this Sunday's 1:00 p.m. Mass in Neu Chapel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent. Students will serve in the other liturgical ministries, and anyone who would like to sing with the Newman Choir is encouraged to arrive at about noon for rehearsal. Come and join us in our spiritual preparation for Easter!

"Saviors & Sous Chefs, Slackers & Shoplifts: Nothing New in Bethany" is the theme this Sunday for Lent V.  Student led Jazz Ensemble will lead us through the liturgy and to the table where all are welcome to taste and see that God is good. Fresh Donut Bank Donuts and coffee bar open at 10:00AM. All are welcome!

The UE Venturing Crew is currently working on a fundraising event in an effort to continue the multiple amazing camping trips and to widen our gear inventory. We will be helping the local Tri-State Hunter Retriever Club on Saturday, March 23rd and Sunday, March 24th with a competition at the local Campbell Conservation facility. The job would be to operate large slingshots and launch dead ducks for hunting dogs to retrieve. For more information, or to sign up to help, please contact Bryan Bennett at bb190.

The Gender & Women’s Studies Brown Bag Series is hosting its second speaker on Tuesday, March 19. Brianna McLaughlin will be presenting "Home of the Friendless:  Untold Stories of 19th Century Evansville Women" in Hyde 5B from 12:20-1 pm. Bring your lunch and hear Brianna discuss her research about the Vanderburgh County Christian Home, a 19th century women's home/shelter.  Light refreshments will be offered.

Featuring 90 works from 44 student artists, the University of Evansville Department of Art's annual Student Art Exhibition is now open in the Melvin Peterson Gallery. An opening reception will take place from 5-6 p.m. Monday, March 18, during which time award winners will be announced. The show will run through Friday, April 5, and visitors to the gallery are invited to cast a vote for the People's Choice Award — the student whose piece earns the most votes by the end of the exhibition will be declared the winner.

The Melvin Peterson Gallery is open noon-3 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, please contact the Department of Art at 812-488-2043.

Ace Advocates is sponsoring a competition between different organizations to see who can raise the most money as a donation to the organization KIVA. KIVA is an online microfinance loan program, and by everyone donating just a dollar, we can help provide economic opportunities to entrepreneurs and people in need in countries all over the world.

The competition is already on and runs to March 22.  Ace Advocates will be collecting money at a Ridgway University Center table on March 14, 19, and 21 during lunch and dinner.  Any club or organization at the University of Evansville may compete. The team to raise the most money will receive campus-wide recognition and a trophy for their organization, as a token for their efforts to help people around the world.

For more information, email Nick Joyner (nj35).

Please join us Thursday, March 21 at 11:00 a.m. in the lobby of Olmsted Hall for a dedication of art donated by Virginia Schroeder H’92. Ginny is a long-time supporter of UE and has made this donation in honor of President Tom and Dr. Sharon Kazee. The painting depicts Harlaxton College and the artist is Kathryn Waters. Please come out and thank Ginny Schroeder for her gift and support of UE.

Alcoa Warrick Operations has challenged UE, USI and Ivy Tech in a local Recyclemania contest and will provide a cash prize of $1,500 to whichever school improves the most in the second half of the challenge (March 3–30).  In addition to the local grant, the winner in the competition will also get a traveling trophy, created by a local artist from crushed aluminum cans.  UE, we can do this!  There are 18 days left - let’s make sure we are recycling the following items:
• Office paper
• Cardboard
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Cereal boxes, beverage and soda cases
• Books
• Aluminum cans (rinsed out, empty)
• Plastic: (rinsed out, empty) with #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 in the recycle symbol on the container, such as:  Milk containers; Water bottles; Shampoo bottles; Laundry detergent containers; and Margarine containers

If you’ve got questions, call ext. 2697 or email js652.

Come join PRIDE at their Religion Sexuality Panel on Monday March18 at 7 pm in KC 100. This event will be worth 0.25 honors credit and hopefully will prove to be an enriching experience to all those interested in learning more about the views of sexuality from different religions.

Please join us for the last Mentor Speaker Luncheon Series of the semester on Thursday, March 21 from 12-1 pm in Eykamp 253, Ridgway University Center.  We are pleased to have Alissa Fricke, UE alum 2012, as our speaker presenting on the topic of: "Life Skills for the 1st Year Professional."

This is an opportune  time to contact your mentor and invite them to meet you for lunch, or come by yourself and hear about the challenges and rewards of being a 1st year professional.

This event is open to the campus community.  If you wish to receive a free lunch, please RSVP to Donna Schmitt at ds120@evansville.edu by Monday, March 18.

The University of Evansville's International Club would like to invite everyone to its 37th Annual International Banquet & Variety Show. Don't miss the opportunity to try international food and enjoy a variety of performances. So mark your calendars and come to Eykamp Hall in the Ridgway University Center on Saturday, March 23, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students in advance and $8 at the door. Adult tickets are $12 for singles, $20 for couples and free for children under the age of 8! Semi-formal attire is recommended and profits go to charity. Tickets are available now at the International Office, Ridgway 2nd Floor. You can also purchase your ticket at Ridgway Lobby on the following dates;

Tuesday, March 19 - 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Thursday, March 21 - 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Friday, March 22 - 12:00 pm-2:00 pm

Hurry and get your ticket before they are sold out!

 

The Department of Music will present a Guest Artist Recital featuring flutist Mihoko Watanabe in Wheeler Concert Hall this Saturday, March 16, at 2:00 p.m.  A native of Japan, Watanabe received her Bachelor of Music from the Musashino Academia Musicae in Tokyo, her Master of Music and Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan. 

A celebrated and versatile international performer, she has won competitions sponsored by both the Japan Flute Association and the National Flute Association and has appeared in Japan, Israel, and Canada as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist.  In her current position as Associate Professor of Flute at Ball State University, she performs as a member of the Musical Arts Quintet, a faculty ensemble that has received a number of awards, including the prestigious 2010 American Masterpieces: Chamber Music grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

She is also a founding member of Trio Piacere (flute, cello, piano), which has performed nationally and internationally, and a member of Duo Viva (two flutes), with which she recorded “Doppler Effect,” an album released in 2006 by Little Piper.  As an orchestral player, she has held several principal flute positions and performed with American and Canadian orchestras.  Watanabe is also a very active teacher and clinician, having presented masterclasses throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan, and she has a great interest in the field of ethnomusicology, particularly the traditional music of her native land. 

Watanabe’s UE performance will include works by her countrymen, Kazuo Fukushim and Joji Yuasa, as well as works by western composers ranging from C. P. E. Bach to Francis Poulenc.  Pianist Helen Reed will accompany Watanabe.  The recital is free and open to the public.

Department of Music students will offer three recitals this weekend.  Soprano Tyler Samuel and tenor Josh Kight will present a joint Junior Recital on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.  On Sunday, March 17, soprano Emily Naas will present her Junior Recital at 1:00 p.m., and baritone Alexander Henderson will present his Junior Recital at 2:30 p.m.  All three events will occur in Wheeler Concert Hall and are free and open to the public.
 

Dr. Furrakh Iqbal, World Bank senior economist, will be speaking to UE students via international video conferencing  at 8.00 a.m. in Smythe Lecture Hall (Room 170) in Schroeder Family School of Business Building on March 19. The title of his presentation is, "The Role of the World Bank in International Development ".  Dr. Iqbal received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his PhD from Yale University in economics. He has been associated with the World Bank (Washington DC)  for the last 30 years. Currently he is assigned to a project in the Middle East. Dr. Iqbal graciously accepted an invitation to speak to UE students from Walayet A. Khan, professor of finance. The event is open to public.

This year’s History Department Spring Lecture will feature Dr. David Green, Lecturer in History and British Studies at Harlaxton College. The event is free and open to the public, and faculty, staff, students and the campus community are invited to attend. The lecture, titled "The English Empire in the Later Middle Ages," will take place from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21 in Eykamp Hall, Room 251A. 

This speaking engagement represents in integral part of Dr. Green’s on-going research program which explores ‘colonial’ practices and attitudes at work in the dominions of the later medieval English monarchy (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Gascony, and Normandy).

By March 2013 Dr. Green will have published four articles in international peer-reviewed journals and essay collections, including the Journal of British Studies and the Journal of Historical Sociology. Another important element in this project is a major international conference (the Harlaxton Medieval Symposium) which Dr. Green will convene alongside colleagues from the universities of York and East Anglia (both in the U.K.). Together these scholarly activities form an innovative research program which examines, through a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, a period of fundamental change in the construction of the English nation.

Dr. Green’s research trajectory and findings have been shaped, in part, by the core course in British Studies required of all students at Harlaxton College with its focus on the construction of the British nation, its identity, and the relationships between its component parts. Accordingly, research from this program will be used to inform the teaching of this course, particularly the recently developed Honors section, which will sustain and enrich the curricular and co-curricular experience of UE students at Harlaxton in accordance with the university’s Strategic Plan Core Goal 1.

Student Christian Fellowship will host the Red Bus Project on March 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Sesquicentennial Oval. The Red Bus is an English double-decker bus turned mobile thrift store where students can donate used clothing and purchase clothing donated by others. All proceeds go to Show Hope which helps financially with adopting orphans.

The Department of Creative Writing at the University of Evansville has posted a new video about their Student Writers of Indiana Program (SWIP) on their website. Check it out: http://www.evansville.edu/majors/creativewriting/swip.cfm

UE Creative Writing Professor Rob Griffith and Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair in Literature and Writing Margaret McMullan funded this video with a grant from the Ball Foundation Venture Fund. Creative Writing majors and SWIP directors  Jessica Russell-Pope and Joe Watson coordinated with UE students and area high school teachers to shoot the video, along with SWIP Teaching Fellows Danielle Weeks, James Drury, and Elizabeth Crozier.

Don't miss the work of the 7th grade poets from Holy Redeemer at the end!

The University of Evansville will be closed on Friday, March 29, 2013 in observance of the Good Friday holiday.

Graduating seniors who ordered their graduation announcements on or before March 11 should be able to pick up their orders in the UE Bookstore at their convenience. Those orders that were to be shipped out should arrive by next week. If you still need graduation announcements please stop by the Bookstore and place your order today so that you have plenty of time to prepare them and mail them. If you have any questions please contact the UE Bookstore.

Some reminders about Harlaxton College applications and deadlines:

SUMMER 2013: 
Last call to apply for the five-week summer session!  There are still places available in the following five-week summer session classes.  Applications for these classes will be reviewed through March 15th:

ES 103 Fundamentals of Environmental Science
SOC 105 Introduction to Sociology
SOC 301 ST: Love, Sex, and Society
THTR 110 Introduction to Theatre
WRTG 330 Writing Workshop

SPRING 2014:
While the priority application for the Spring 2014 semester at Harlaxton College has passed,  we are still accepting applications on a space available basis.  Full course information and applications are available at the Study Abroad Office, SB 261.

FALL 2013: 
Last call to apply for the Fall 2013 semester!  It’s not too late to apply for the Fall 2013 semester at Harlaxton College.  However, only a very few spots remain, so early action is strongly recommended.  Applications will be reviewed on a space available basis through April 1st.

Questions?  Please visit the Study Abroad Office in Room 261 in Schroeder Family School of Business Building, or email studyabroad@evansville.edu.
 

Students who are interested in living in their same residence hall for next year can select an open room in their current residence hall on the following nights from 9:30–10:30 p.m. Sign-ups will take place at your hall's RA office.

Thursday March 14 – Rising Seniors (students with 75+ credit hours)
Sunday March 17 – Rising Juniors (students with 44 – 74 credit hours)
Monday March 18 – Rising Sophomores (students with up to 43 credit hours)

Interested students should have their 2013-14 housing contract submitted through WebAdvisor prior to selecting a room.

Additional information about the residence hall selection process can be found on the Residence Life website.

Adoptions for Summer I, Summer 2, and Fall 2013 are due at the UE Bookstore from all academic departments.  Please submit your adoptions as per information provided in a seperate email sent to faculty and department administrative assistants.

If you are a faculty member and need regalia rented for May's graduation please contact the UE Bookstore at your earliest opportunity.  If you have rented in the past and need to rerent the same items you can note that, the Bookstore has that information on file.  If you need any changes at all you'll need to contact the Bookstore with the updated information.  You can email dg57@evansville.edu with your request.

Attention faculty:  Alumni Research and Scholarly Activity Fellowship proposals are now being accepted.  Up to $15,000 in grants can be awarded by the Alumni Association each year.  The online application form can be found on Acelink under the Academic Affairs area.  Completed proposals are due Monday, April 1.  Questions?  Contact alumni@evansville.edu or extension 2586. 

The Department of Foreign Languages would like to invite students who studied abroad on a language immersion program for their major/minor requirement to submit photos to enter the Annual Foreign Language Department Photo Contest.  If you participated in a foreign language study abroad program for your major/minor requirement in Spring 2012, Summer 2012 or Fall 2012, you may submit up to three photos (one in each category) from your study abroad experience for the contest. 

Printed photos should be no larger than 4 x 6, or photos may be submitted by email to foreignlanguages@evansville.edu. The photos can be of any trips, campuses or cities that you were in during your foreign language study abroad and must be submitted in one of the following categories:  Art; Landscape; or Cultural Interaction.

One winner will be awarded for each category, and one of those photos will be awarded the Best Overall photo.  The Best Overall photo will be enlarged, framed and displayed in the Foreign Language Office.  Please note that all photos may be shared and/or published with the Office of Study Abroad and University Relations.

Feel free to stop by OH 350 and see the winners from the past, if you like.

The deadline for submissions has been extended. You can now submit your photos to Foreign Languages at OH 350 by WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27. Put your name and the place on the back of the photo or on a separate sheet.  We would love to display all of them on one of our bulletin boards.

If you have any questions, please contact Kimberly at kh209@evansville.edu.

This is a reminder to all May graduates that if you still need a cap and gown and/or graduation announcements you should stop by the UE Bookstore at your earliest convenience.

If you are a Masters or Doctoral graduate it is especially important that you contact the Bookstore if you have not already ordered your Cap, Gown and Hood.  Masters and Doctoral garments have to be ordered custom for each person and take longer to receive.  Bachelor cap and gowns are usually in stock in the Bookstore but Bachelor graduates should purchase their cap and gown soon to insure that the appropriate size is available. 

Graduation Announcements should be ordered at least one month prior to graduation to insure graduates have enough time to get them mailed. 

If you have any questions please contact the UE Bookstore.   

Nominations are now being accepted for consideration of The Howard S. Rosenblatt “Dean of Students Leadership Awards”.  These awards will be presented at the 20th Annual Leadership Awards Reception scheduled for April 18, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.  Awards are presented in the following categories:
• Student Organization Advisor of the Year
• Student Organization of the Year
• Student Leader of the Year

Over 80% of UE students participate in at least one student organization or program.  These organizations are successful because of the commitment of the student leaders and the advisors who give freely of their time and support.  The recipients of these awards are selected based on their commitment to the University of Evansville as well as the development and success of their efforts within their chosen student organization.

The deadline for nominations is March 29, 2013.  Please click here to download a nomination form or stop by Room 230 in the Ridgway University Center to pick up a nomination form from the Dean of Students Office.  If you have any questions, please contact the Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students at extension 2500 or by e-mail at km306@evansville.edu. 

Thank you in advance for celebrating our student leaders’ achievements. 

The Neu Chapel Society Board, last evening, participated in a historic event for two UE students, our campus community, and The United Methodist Church by affirming UE seniors, Whitney Lantz and Nick Joyner, in the candidacy process toward ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church. Rev. Randy Anderson, Associate District Superintendent and UE alum, presided over the meeting which was held in the John Wesley Gallery, lower level of Neu Chapel. The Neu Chapel Society will continue to support and encourage Whitney and Nick throughout their theological education, both planning to attend Garrett Evangelical Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, also a United Methodist seminary. After earning a master’s degree, Whitney will seek ordination as a Deacon and Nick, Elder’s orders. Congratulations to Whitney and Nick and to the Neu Chapel Society Board for their continual support to UE students!

Deacons are called by God, authorized by the church, and ordained by a bishop to a lifetime ministry of Word, Service, Compassion, and Justice, to both the community and the congregation in a ministry that connects the two. Deacons exemplify Christian discipleship and create opportunities for others to enter into discipleship. The work of Deacons is the work of justice, serving, and equipping others to serve the needy, neglected, and marginalized with compassion. In the congregation the Deacon leads, teaches, and proclaims the Word in forming and nurturing disciples.

Elders lead and serve the entire church in the ministries of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service. The Elder has primary responsibility for Word, the apostolic task of communicating the faith and proclaiming God’s Word. This includes primary responsibility for the preaching and teaching ministry, although preaching in The United Methodist tradition also includes the lay minister, the local pastor, and the associate member. The Elder is responsible for administering the sacraments and ordering the ministry of the church. Most Elders serve as pastors in charge of local congregations. However, Elders may be appointed to extension ministries and serve in a variety of settings.

Benjamin Ollestad, senior Archaeology and Sociology- Anthropology specialization double major, was presented with the inaugural Hanns G. Pieper Sociology and Criminal Justice Senior Research Award. Ollestad's research, entitled "Infidelity among College Students" was selected from a competitive field of senior research projects from Sociology and Criminal Justice majors. This award is named in honor of Dr. Hanns G. Pieper, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, for his dedication to promoting independent student research in Sociology and Criminal Justice.

The Society for Social Research, established to advance social science research at the University of Evansville, welcomed 12 new members who met grade qualifications and major requirements: Sarah Spalding, Allana Chittick, Sarah Malik, Kaitlyn Bond, Kelsey Costales, Lauren Flinn, Max Gross, Jenna Koschmeder, Janice Mann, Benjamin Ollestad, Kayla Parshall, and Stephanie Underhill.

Dale Edwards, Professor of Biology, recently had a paper accepted in the Journal of Parasitology. The article “Patterns of species richness among Unionicola spp. (Acari: Unionicolidae) inhabiting freshwater mussels of North America” will appear in the next issue of the Journal. The paper was co-authored by Malcolm Vidrine, a world-renowned water mite systematist from Louisiana State University at Eunice.

Creative writing majors Brennan Girdler, Rachel Chestnut, Kyrsten Wilson, Brodie Gress, Klara Nichter, Jessica Russell-Pope, Jessica Ingle, James Drury, Miranda Stinson, Jenelle Clausen, Christine Mueller, Mindy Hensley, and Jenna McCord attended and worked at the 2013 AWP Writer’s Conference in Boston on March 6-10. Representing the Evansville Review, Measure, UE Press, and the Student Writers in the School Program, these UE students staffed the University of Evansville booth, attended panels and readings, and met graduate school directors, editors, writers, agents and publishers from the 12,000 attendees there.

Professors of Creative Writing Bill Baer, Paul Bone, Rob Griffith and Margaret McMullan also attended the conference and hosted the annual UE Creative Writing Alumni Reunion night.
 

Associate Professor of  Chemistry Arlen Kaufman presented his R01 research titled 'Determination of Secondary Plant Metabolites using Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) and Tandem Mass Spectrometry' at the 2013 International Gordon Research Conference (GRC)  on Plant-Herbivore Interactions. Associate Professor of Biology Cris Hochwender also presented his research on plant tolerance to foliar damage by beetles during the GRC.

The 12th GRC on Plant-Herbivore Interactions brought together an outstanding group of junior and senior scientists. Sessions include evolution of plant defenses, microbial contributions to extended phenotypes, and the consequences of induction to individuals, populations and communities. The conference embraced mechanism and theory, and link ecology and evolution. To complement the diverse themes of the session presentations, poster sessions were scheduled for the evenings. 

 

Associate Professor of Creative Writing Paul Bone will be featured this Friday at 12:30 p.m. on The Trend with Micah Schweizer (88.3 FM). Professor Bone will be discussing poetry and his new poetry collection Nostalgia for Sacrifice, which has just been published by David Robert Books. 

The University of Evansville women’s basketball team overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to force overtime, but the Purple Aces saw their season end with an 83-74 overtime loss to Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Thursday night at The Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo.

Senior Samantha Heck had a career night for Evansville (9-21), recording career highs with 29 points and 16 rebounds.  Heck finished 11-for-21 from the field and 6-for-6 at the free throw line and hauled in 11 of her boards in the first half.  The Auxvasse, Mo., native finished her stat line by posting two assists, two steals and a game-high three blocks.  Fellow senior Taylor Ware and sophomore Mallory Ladd also finished in double figures, scoring 10 points apiece.

Cartaesha Macklin, who finished with a game-high 32 points, scored seven of Southern Illinois’ (5-25) first nine points, as the Salukis took an early 9-4 just over three minutes into the contest.

Heck tied the game at 9-9 with a pair of free throws at the 11:55 mark in the first half and freshman Laura Friday gave Evansville its first lead, 12-9, by banking in a three-pointer from the top of the arc as the shot clock expired with 9:44 remaining in the half.

Rishonda Napier regained the lead for SIU with a steal and a transition layup with 8:53 left to play in the opening stanza, but Heck connected on two more free throws to put the Aces back in front, 16-15, just over two minutes later.

Macklin connected on a 17-foot jumper to give Southern Illinois a two-possession lead at 26-22 with 2:39 remaining in the half, before Napier sank a trey to give the Salukis their largest lead of the half and a 29-22 advantage at the intermission.

SIU shot 34.2 percent from the field (13-for-38) in the opening 20 minutes, while UE connected on seven of its 21 first-half shot attempts for a 33.3 percent clip.  Southern Illinois also scored nine second-chance points off of 12 first-half offensive rebounds and turned nine Evansville turnovers into 10 points.

In the second half, the Salukis pushed their lead to double digits at 40-30 on a pair of free throws from Dyana Pierre with 13:47 left to play, before the Aces scored seven of game’s next 11 points to pull within six at 43-37 on a three from junior Miranda Liles at the 11:07 mark.

Just under three minutes later, SIU capped a 12-5 run and took its largest lead of the game, when Jordyn Courier hit one of her five threes on the night off a fastbreak pass from Macklin that put Southern Illinois in front, 55-42, with 8:18 showing on the clock.

Ware cut the Salukis’ advantage to four with a turnaround jumper off the glass as part of an 11-2 UE run and Heck converted a three-point play with 4:27 to go in regulation to pull Evansville within one at 60-59.

The Aces took their first lead of the second half at the 3:10 mark, when Ware drained a three from the left wing, putting UE up, 63-62.

With Evansville leading, 68-65, with 22 seconds left, Macklin came up with a game-tying three with just 4.2 seconds left in regulation to knot the score at 68-68.  The Aces had a chance to win the game on a last-second shot by Ladd, but it fell short at the buzzer.

Southern Illinois got on the board first in overtime on a three by Napier and never trailed in the extra period, as Macklin grabbed an offensive rebound with the Salukis up seven with under a minute to play to seal the win.

Macklin was one of four SIU players to finish in double figures, as Courier tallied 17 points, Napier scored 13 and Pierre finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Southern Illinois outrebounded Evansville, 48-35, and hauled in 23 offensive rebounds.  In the overtime period, the Salukis hit five of their seven shot attempts, while the Aces went just 3-for-8 from the field in the final five minutes.

Heck finished her career with 1,331 career points, 745 career rebounds and 83 career blocks.  Ladd finished the season 74-for-78 from the free throw line to break UE’s single-season free throw percentage record with a 94.9 percent clip.

On the strength of its first 18-win season in 13 years, the Purple Aces men’s basketball team is geared up for its fourth postseason berth in five years.

While still hoping for an NIT bid, the Aces are guaranteed a postseason game Tuesday March 19th at the Ford Center in one of the other two postseason tournaments.  It will mark another opportunity for Aces fans to see seniors Colt Ryan, Ned Cox, Troy Taylor, Lewis Jones, Andy Chinn and Brandon Williams play at home.

All tickets for the potential home game on Tuesday will cost $15 and will be in the lower bowl.  Season ticket holders will have the first priority to purchase their seats and can begin doing so  on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.  They will have until 4 p.m. Sunday to purchase their seats.  Should season ticket holders choose not to purchase their seats, they will go on sale to the general public on Monday.  Season ticket holders can only purchase their seats through the UE ticket office at the Carson Center or by calling (812) 488-ACES.

For those who are not season ticket holders, you can purchase any available seats beginning on Friday at 8:30 a.m. at the Carson Center.  Tickets will go on sale at the Ford Center box office and www.ticketmaster.com on Monday morning at 10 a.m.  UE student tickets are free.

Everyone who purchases tickets through Sunday at 4 p.m. may begin to pick them up at the Carson Center on Monday at 1 p.m.  They will not be available before that time.

Please call the Aces ticket office at (812) 488-ACES for more information.

The ticket office will have special hours over the weekend to give fans the chance to purchase their seats for UE’s fourth postseason berth in five years.  Ticket office hours over the next week are as follows:

Friday, March 15 – 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, March 16 – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 17 – Noon – 4 p.m.
Monday, March 18 – 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 19 – 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The University of Evansville baseball team will host reigning Big Ten champions Purdue for a three-game series this weekend at Braun Stadium, beginning Friday at 6 p.m.  The Purple Aces and Boilermakers will continue the series Saturday at 2 p.m., before concluding the set with a 1 p.m. matinee Sunday.

Evansville (6-9) has won its last three games, including a pair of midweek contests this week against Eastern Illinois and Oakland City.  The Aces topped the Panthers ,7-5, Tuesday, before downing the Mighty Oaks, 9-0, Wednesday for their first shutout of the season.  Junior Jake Mahon led UE by doing 3-for-5 with four RBI against OCU and senior Ryan Billo picked up the win on the mound, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.

Evansville is hitting .261 as a team with 22 extra-base hits, including a trio of home runs.  The Aces are slugging .329 as a squad and reaching base at a .365 clip.  On the base paths, UE has stolen 15 bases in 21 chances and is fielding .968 as a team.

Four Evansville players are hitting over .300, including Mahon, who is hitting a team-best .327 and has driven in eight runs.  Mahon also leads the squad with a .455 slugging percentage and .435 on-base percentage.  Redshirt junior Johnny Day owns a .321 batting average and is tied for the team-lead with 11 RBI.  Redshirt sophomore Kevn Kaczmarski is hitting .316 with five doubles and five stolen bases, while senior Chris Pearson boasts a .308 average and has driven in six runs.

The Aces’ pitching staff enters the weekend series with a 4.82 ERA and 114 total strikeouts around just 44 walks.  Opponents are hitting .274 against UE pitching this season.  Senior Kyle Lloyd leads the Evansville staff with a 2-1 record and 2.16 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 25.0 innings on the mound.  Sophomore Kyle Freeland is 2-2 on the season with a 3.00 ERA and leads the team with 31 strikeouts, while walking just three in a team-high 27.0 innings.  Junior Cole Isom, who is expected to make his second start on Sunday, is 0-3 on the year with a 6.00 ERA.  Isom has fanned 15 opposing hitters and walked six in 15.0 innings.

Purdue (5-10) has won two of its last three and snapped a seven-game losing skid with a 17-10 win at Illinois-Chicago on March 9.  In their last outing, the Boilermakers fell, 3-1, at No. 4 Louisville and will wrap up an 18-game road swing this weekend at Braun Stadium.  Against the Cardinals, Purdue was held to just four hits and fanned 12 times against five U of L pitchers.  Mike Lutz took the loss on the mound for the Boilers, allowing two earned runs in 4.0 innings with a strikeout and three walks.

As a team, Purdue is hitting .257, slugging .330 and reaching base at a .324 clip.  The Boilermakers have recorded 20 doubles, three triples and four homers and have swiped 17 bases on 23 attempts.  Defensively, Purdue has committed 16 errors and is fielding .972 as a team.

Jake Hansen leads the Boilermakers with a .364 batting average and owns a team-best .473 on-base percentage.  Sean McHugh is hitting .333 with a team-leading 11 RBI , .444 slugging percentage an five doubles.  Josh Estill has posted a .277 average this season, while Jack Picchiotti is hitting .263 and ranks second on the squad with eight RBI.

Purdue’s pitching staff has posted a 6.61 ERA and opponents are hitting .313 against the Boilers.  Robert Ramer has the best ERA among Purdue’s starters at 5.60 and is 2-1 on the year.  Ramer has notched 17 strikeouts and walked four in 27.1 innings.  Brad Schreiber is 0-2 on the hill with a 6.50 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 18.0 innings, while Jordan Minch is 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA in his four starts.

The Boilermakers hold a slim, 15-14, in the all-time series with Evansville and won the last meeting between the two sides, 4-3, in 10 innings at the Dunn Hospitality Classic on March 14, 2010.

Due to the conditions at Drake’s field, the University of Evansville softball team will play host to the Bulldogs in Evansville on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Originally slated to be in Des Moines on March 23 and 24, the series has now been moved to Cooper Stadium on Monday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 19.

A doubleheader will begin the series at 4 p.m. on Monday with the second game set for 6 p.m.  Tuesday’s single game will have first pitch going at 3:30 p.m.

With the added home games, the Aces have a chance to play their first six Missouri Valley Conference games at home.  The Bluejays and Bulldogs enter league play with the top two records overall.  Creighton begins the weekend 14-8 while Drake is 14-10 and will play at Southern Illinois over the weekend before making the trek to Evansville.