Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Indiana’s Assembly Hall erupts after learning of Evansville’s upset of No. 1 Kentucky

Teddy Rydquist

By Teddy Rydquist

Published:

Part of what makes college sports so special, Indiana Hoosier fans at Assembly Hall erupted in cheers when learning of the Evansville Purple Aces’ upset of the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats.

Indiana on BTN shared footage of the scene:

Riding 18 points from senior K.J. Riley and 17 from redshirt junior Sam Cunliffe off the bench, the Purple Aces went into Rupp Arena and stunned the Wildcats, 67-64. Sophomore Immanuel Quickley led Kentucky with 16 points in a losing effort.

Members of the Missouri Valley Conference, Evansville has reached the NCAA Tournament five times, the most recent appearance coming in 1999.

Interestingly, Kentucky already becomes the second No. 1 team to lose this season. Beginning the year as America’s top team, the Michigan State Spartans fell to the Wildcats, 69-62, on Nov. 5 in the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Improving to 3-0, Indiana ran past the North Alabama Lions, 91-65. One of five Hoosiers to score in double figures, freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis set the tone with 20 points and eight rebounds. Perhaps most impressively, Jackson-Davis was 14-15 from the free throw line.

Currently ranked No. 2, the Duke Blue Devils are now the top unbeaten program.

Teddy Rydquist

A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Rydquist has been contributing to Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition since 2019. He can be found on Twitter @TeddyRydquist.