1977–78 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1977–78 Evansville Purple Aces Basketball Evansville Purple Aces wordmark.svg 200 Indiana Collegiate Conference ICC 1–3 0–0 Bobby Watson 1st Mark Sandy Ernon Simpson Stafford Stephenson Roberts Municipal Stadium The 1977–78 Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represented the University of Evansville during the 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were coached by first-time head coach Bobby Watson after the departure of Arad McCutchan, who had spent the previous 31 years as coach of the program. Former Purple Aces player Jerry Sloan had previously accepted an offer to become the new head coach but left after six days with the team. The season was the Purple Aces' first time playing in NCAA Division I after years of success in NCAA Division II competition.Sciullo Maria The sorrows of a 1977 University of Evansville plane crash were felt by many in Pittsburgh https://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2017/12/12/Evansville-university-plane-crash-anniversary-Pittsburgh-bobby-watson/stories/201712050216 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette June 26, 2020 December 13, 2017 The Purple Aces lost their first two games of the season against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the DePaul Blue Demons.Lyles Jr. Harry 'Oh my God, it's the Aces': Remembering the University of Evansville plane crash that shook college basketball https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/12/13/16770632/university-of-evansville-aces-plane-crash SBNation June 26, 2020 December 13, 2017 The Purple Aces' only win of the season came in a home game on December 6, 1977, against the Pittsburgh Panthers.1977-78 Evansville Purple Aces Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/evansville/1978-schedule.html College Basketball at Sports Reference Sports Reference LLC April 13, 2026 On December 10, 1977, the Purple Aces lost an away game to the 11th-ranked Indiana State Sycamores. Season overview In January 1977, Aces head coach Arad McCutchan announced that he would step down after 31 years in the position.Johnson Dave Watson named Aces coach https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press-watson-hired-31177/125738280/ May 17, 2026 The Evansville Press March 11, 1977 1 Newspapers.com His longtime choice to succeed him, former Aces player Jerry Sloan, signed a four-year contract on February 3, 1977, but resigned six days later because of personal reasons. The Aces finished with a 15–12 record during the 1976–77 season. After Sloan's resignation, the University of Evansville's screening committee interviewed eight candidates for the position. On May 3, Bobby Watson, an assistant for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, was announced as head coach. He had been watching the position for years and was familiar with Indiana through recruitment trips in the tri-state area.He's been watching U.E. position 'for years' https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press-hes-been-watching-ue/197705426/ May 17, 2026 Evansville Press March 6, 1977 44 Newspapers.com Watson was one of three final candidates alongside Wayne Boultinghouse from ISU–Evansville and Jack Schalow from Morehead State. On March 25, Watson signed Norvell Lee, the head coach at Goldsboro High School, as his first assistant coach.Johnson Dave UE signs Lee as assistant https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press-ue-signs-lee-as-assista/197705594/ May 17, 2026 Evansville Press March 25, 1977 24 Newspapers.com On April 21, he added assistant Stafford Stephenson, the head coach at Wingate Junior College, and graduate assistant Mark Sandy, the head coach at Herndon High School, to his coaching staff; Watson had served as an assistant alongside Stephenson at Wake Forest and Sandy was one of his players at Ferrum.Collins Tom Watson to hire assistant today https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-courier-and-press-watson-to-h/197705548/ May 17, 2026 Evansville Courier and Press April 21, 1977 17 Newspapers.com On July 3, Lee stepped down as assistant coach because of his mother's poor health.White Don Aces' assistant Lee steps down https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press-norvell-lee-steps-down/125753468/ May 17, 2026 Evansville Press July 3, 1977 39 Newspapers.com Five days later, Larry Humes, an assistant coach at Howe High School and former Aces player, was signed as an assistant.Larry Humes takes Aces job https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press-larry-humes-hired-797/125752529/ May 17, 2026 Evansville Press July 9, 1977 13 Newspapers.com On August 19, Watson announced that Humes had resigned and was to be replaced by Ernon "Ernie" Simpson, head coach at Union County High School.Harter Anne Humes out, Simpson in at UE https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press-humes-out-simpson-in-a/197705687/ May 17, 2026 Evansville Press August 20, 1977 12 Newspapers.com Plane crash Air Indiana Flight 216 On December 13, 1977, all 14 members of the varsity team and some members of the staff were killed in the Air Indiana Flight 216 crash. The Purple Aces had been travelling to Nashville, Tennessee, to play the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Evansville Regional Airport and killed all passengers on board.Webb Jon Plane crashes haunt Evansville — especially these two https://www.courierpress.com/story/opinion/columnists/jon-webb/2019/08/30/plane-crashes-haunt-evansville-especially-these-two-university-of-evansville-plane-crash/2164262001/ Courier & Press June 26, 2020 August 30, 2019 Watson was the only coach on the flight as assistant coaches Mark Sandy, Stafford Stephenson and Ernon Simpson were on scouting assignments.Johnson Dave Evansville Fans, Community Took Watson to Heart https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/12/15/evansville-fans-community-took-watson-to-heart/36dfb734-643d-4c93-8ae5-28e736c9be29/ The Washington Post June 30, 2020 December 15, 1977 The only Purple Aces player who was not on the flight, freshman David Furr, was killed in a car accident two weeks later.Rosen Ron Traffic Victims: Pride of Shepherd, Evansville Basketballer https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1977/12/29/traffic-victims-pride-of-shepherd-evansville-basketballer/0ac78fec-8c8c-460d-88d5-9ecdd170bd8d/ The Washington Post June 26, 2020 December 29, 1977 Roster 1977 Evansville Purple Aces y Warren Alston G 6 4 fr Goldsboro, NC Ray Comandella F 6 9 fr Munster, IN Mike Duff F 6 7 fr Eldorado, IL Kraig Heckendorn G 6 1 fr Cincinnati, OH Mike Joyner G 6 3 fr Terre Haute, IN Kevin Kingston G 6 2 sr Eldorado, IL Barney Lewis F 6 7 fr Goldsboro, NC Steve Miller C 6 8 jr New Albany, IN Keith Moon C 6 8 so Kettering, OH Mark Siegel F 6 1 fr Indianapolis, IN Greg Smith G 6 0 fr West Frankfort, IL Bryan Taylor F 6 5 jr Tell City, IN John Ed Washington G 6 3 sr Indianapolis, IN Tony Winburn G 5 8 sr Jeffersonville, IN Bobby Watson (VMI) Mark Sandy (Ferrum) Ernon Simpson (Kentucky Wesleyan) Stafford Stephenson (Emory & Henry) https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/evansville/1978.html May 17, 2026 Schedule and results no no |- !colspan=9 style=Evansville Purple Aces|#ED8B00 Non-conference regular season Nov 30, 1977 yes Western Kentucky Roberts Municipal Stadium Evansville, IN 72–82 0–1 Dec 3, 1977 yes yes DePaul Alumni Hall Chicago, IL 71–94 0–2 Dec 6, 1977 yes Pittsburgh Roberts Municipal Stadium Evansville, IN 90–83 1–2 Dec 10, 1977 yes yes Indiana State 11 Hulman Center Terre Haute, IN 76–102 1–3 Player statistics #ED8B00 Player#ED8B00 GP#ED8B00 FGPG#ED8B00 FGAPG#ED8B00 FG%#ED8B00 FTPG#ED8B00 FTAPG#ED8B00 FT%#ED8B00 RPG#ED8B00 PFPG#ED8B00 PPG Alston, Warren Warren Alston#470A68 4 4.0 8.8 .457 2.3 3.3 .692 1.5 1.3 10.3 Comandella, Ray Ray Comandella 1 .0 .0 – .0 .0 – .0 1.0 .0 Duff, Mike Mike Duff#470A68 4 #470A68 8.5 #470A68 18.5 .459 3.3 5.3 .619 #470A68 9.5 #470A68 4.5 #470A68 20.3 Heckendorn, Kraig Kraig Heckendorn#470A68 4 .5 1.5 .333 1.0 1.5 .667 .0 2.0 2.0 Joyner, Mike Mike Joyner 2 1.5 3.0 .500 .0 .0 – .0 .0 3.0 Kingston, Kevin Kevin Kingston#470A68 4 .3 1.0 .250 .0 .3 .000 .5 1.3 .5 Lewis, Barney Barney Lewis#470A68 4 .5 1.3 .400 .0 .3 .000 .5 .0 1.0 Miller, Steve Steve Miller#470A68 4 4.0 9.0 .444 #470A68 5.3 #470A68 7.0 .750 7.0 3.3 13.3 Moon, Keith Keith Moon#470A68 4 .3 1.8 .143 .5 .5 #470A68 1.000 1.0 1.5 1.0 Siegel, Mark Mark Siegel#470A68 4 .8 2.5 .300 .0 .0 – 1.8 1.8 1.5 Smith, Greg Greg Smith 1 .0 .0 – .0 .0 – .0 .0 .0 Taylor, Bryan Bryan Taylor#470A68 4 7.5 13.0 #470A68 .577 3.3 4.5 .722 5.3 2.3 18.3 Washington, John Ed John Ed Washington#470A68 4 3.8 13.0 .288 .3 .3 #470A68 1.000 5.3 3.3 7.8 Winburn, Tony Tony Winburn#470A68 4 .0 .3 .000 .0 .3 .000 1.0 1.0 .0#ED8B00 Team Totals#ED8B00 4#ED8B00 30.8#ED8B00 72.0#ED8B00 .427#ED8B00 15.8#ED8B00 23.0#ED8B00 .685#ED8B00 41.5#ED8B00 22.3#ED8B00 77.3 References Category:Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball seasons Evansville Evansville Evansville Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States