Evansville's basketball program began in 1919 in Evansville, Indiana. The Purple Aces compete in the Missouri Valley Conference and won five NCAA College Division national championships between 1959 and 1971 under coach Arad McCutchan. The program moved to Division I in 1977 but suffered a devastating plane crash in 1977 that killed the entire team.
The Purple Aces nickname was coined in the 1920s by a sportswriter who said the team 'had aces up their sleeves,' combined with the school's purple color.
Defeating No. 1-ranked Kentucky 67-64 at Rupp Arena in November 2019, one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history.
On December 13, 1977, a plane carrying the entire Evansville basketball team crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 29 passengers — the tragedy remains one of the darkest moments in college sports history.
The Evansville Purple Aces compete in the MVC and hold an all-time record of 771–752 (.506 winning percentage) across 57 recorded seasons dating back to 1924-25.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7-25 | 3-17 (MVC) | David Ragland | |
| 2024-25 | 11-21 | 8-12 (MVC) | David Ragland | |
| 2023-24 | 17-18 | 6-14 (MVC) | David Ragland | |
| 2022-23 | 5-27 | 1-19 (MVC) | David Ragland | |
| 2021-22 | 6-24 | 2-16 (MVC) | Todd Lickliter | |
| 2020-21 | 9-16 | 7-11 (MVC) | Todd Lickliter | |
| 2019-20 | 9-23 | 0-18 (MVC) | Bennie Seltzer,Todd Lickliter,Walter McCarty | |
| 2018-19 | 11-21 | 5-13 (MVC) | Walter McCarty | |
| 2017-18 | 17-15 | 7-11 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2016-17 | 16-17 | 6-12 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2015-16 | 25-9 | 12-6 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2014-15 | 24-12 | 9-9 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2013-14 | 14-19 | 6-12 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2012-13 | 21-15 | 10-8 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2011-12 | 16-16 | 9-9 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2010-11 | 16-16 | 9-9 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2009-10 | 9-21 | 3-15 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2008-09 | 17-14 | 8-10 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2007-08 | 9-21 | 3-15 (MVC) | Marty Simmons | |
| 2006-07 | 14-17 | 6-12 (MVC) | Steve Merfeld | |
| 2005-06 | 10-19 | 5-13 (MVC) | Steve Merfeld | |
| 2004-05 | 11-17 | 5-13 (MVC) | Steve Merfeld | |
| 2003-04 | 7-22 | 5-13 (MVC) | Steve Merfeld | |
| 2002-03 | 12-16 | 8-10 (MVC) | Steve Merfeld | |
| 2001-02 | 7-21 | 4-14 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 2000-01 | 14-16 | 9-9 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 1999-00 | 18-12 | 9-9 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 1998-99 | 23-10 | 13-5 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 1997-98 | 15-15 | 9-9 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 1996-97 | 17-14 | 11-7 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 1995-96 | 13-14 | 9-9 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 1994-95 | 18-9 | 11-7 (MVC) | Jim Crews | |
| 1993-94 | 21-11 | 6-4 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1992-93 | 23-7 | 12-2 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1991-92 | 24-6 | 8-2 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1990-91 | 14-14 | 7-7 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1989-90 | 17-15 | 8-6 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1988-89 | 25-6 | 10-2 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1987-88 | 21-8 | 6-4 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1986-87 | 16-12 | 8-4 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1985-86 | 8-19 | 3-9 (MW Coll) | Jim Crews | |
| 1984-85 | 13-16 | 4-10 (MW City) | Dick Walters | |
| 1983-84 | 15-14 | 7-7 (MW City) | Dick Walters | |
| 1982-83 | 13-16 | 6-8 (MW City) | Dick Walters | |
| 1981-82 | 23-6 | 10-2 (MW City) | Dick Walters | |
| 1980-81 | 19-9 | 6-5 (MW City) | Dick Walters | |
| 1979-80 | 18-10 | 1-4 (MW City) | Dick Walters | |
| 1978-79 | 13-16 | Ind | Dick Walters | |
| 1977-78 | 1-3 | Ind | Bobby Watson | |
| 1951-52 | 7-20 | OVC | Arad McCutchan | |
| 1950-51 | 23-7 | OVC | Arad McCutchan | |
| 1949-50 | 14-14 | OVC | Arad McCutchan | |
| 1948-49 | 14-11 | 4-5 (OVC) | Arad McCutchan | |
| 1927-28 | 14-3 | Ind | John Harmon | |
| 1926-27 | 16-4 | Ind | John Harmon | |
| 1925-26 | 8-3 | Ind | John Harmon | |
| 1924-25 | 11-2 | Ind | John Harmon |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
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