The set-up: The 15-4 Wichita State Shockers have opened 5-1 in MVC play but that loss came in the team's last game, a 76-62 defeat at Illinois State as a three point favorite on Saturday. They travel to Evansville Tuesday night to take on the Purple Aces, who are 10-9 overall but just 1-5 in league play, after they lost their fourth in a row, a 73-61 defeat at the hands of visiting Southern Illinois as a four point favorite on Saturday.

Wichita State: In what was good news for the rest of the MVC, Ron Baker and Fred Van Vleet are finally gone, after the four-year players helped lead the Shockers to 30, 35, 30 and 26 wins the past four seasons. However, Wichita State may still be the league's best team, although Illinois State has opend 14-4, including 6-0 in MVC play. The Shockers own amazing depth. They have triple digit scorers up front in the 6-8 McDuffie (12.5 & 5.1) and the 6-9 Willis (12.1 & 6.2) plus a center duo of Morris and Nurger combining for 12.3 PPG and 6.4 RPG. Shamet (10.6) is the top scorer in the backcourt but three fellow guards combine to average 18.8 PPG.

Evansville: The Purple Aces were extremely dangerous the past few years but with D.J. Baltine (20.8 PPG) and the 6-11 Mockevicius (15.7 & 13.9) having graduated, this year's team is "a few bricks shy of a load." The guard duo of Jaylon Brown (20.8) and Ryan Taylor (15.7) give the Purple Aces arguably the MVC's best backcourt but it's hard to win with a two-man offense, especially with little help up front.

The pick: The Shockers are 39-16 ATS in their last 55 road games and 44-22-1 ATS in their last 67 conference matchups. Take the road favorite, making Wichita State a 10* play.