GAME NOTES: The Evansville Purple Aces hit the road for the first time this season as they travel to face the Miami-Ohio RedHawks in a non-conference clash at Millett Hall.

Evansville opened its season Saturday against Earlham, and the Purple Aces dominated from start to finish. The Missouri Valley Conference program rushed to a 116-45 victory after two convincing exhibition game wins in the offseason.

Miami-Ohio hosted one of the worst teams from the 2013-14 season in Southern Utah on Sunday, and the Thunderbirds once again proved to be no match. Miami ended the game on top, 76-63, for the RedHawks' first victory of the new campaign.

This contest will mark the 15th time in history these programs have faced. Evansville leads the all-time series, 10-4, but when playing in Oxford the series is tied at three games apiece.

Evansville is one of just two Missouri Valley teams to bring back all five of its starters from the 2013-14 season, which includes one of the nation's top scorers from a year ago in D.J. Balentine. Balentine comes back for his junior season, and is joined on the floor by fellow classmate Egidijus Mockevicius as the guard-center tandem looks to improve on a sub-par 14-19 overall record from last season. Balentine was the MVC's league-leader in terms of scoring last season, averaging 22.8 ppg, which ranked seventh nationally. Mockevicius blocked 65 shots last season and ended his sophomore campaign as the team's leading rebounder, bringing down 8.3 boards per outing.

Balentine led a group of six Evansville players in scoring against Earlham, netting 22 points in just 23 minutes of action on the floor. He chipped in with six rebounds and five assists in the season-opening win. Mislav Brzoja came off the bench to record a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Mockevicius scored 16, David Howard contributed 13 points, Duane Gibson had 12 and Adam Wing netted 10 points for the Purple Aces.

The RedHawks endured an offseason in which they lost top scorer Will Felder (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and said goodbye to starting point guard Quinten Rollins (6.9 ppg, 122 assists). But the top three other scorers return to the lineup, including playmaker Geovonie McKnight (9.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 71 assists), who should be the go-to guy this season in coach John Cooper's system. Willie Moore (9.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Will Sullivan (9.0 ppg, 40.8 percent shooting touch from 3-point range) are the other two that will be big names in the Miami offense. The RedHawks also landed a talented freshman guard in Zach McCormick, from Cincinnati, who should figure into the equation.

Sullivan led the RedHawks in scoring against Southern Utah in the team's season opener, netting 21 points in 32 minutes on the floor. Eric Washington got the start at guard, and poured in 17 points and added eight assists with six rebounds. Moore contributed 13 points and six boards, and McKnight came away with 10 points in 30 minutes of action. The RedHawks shot an impressive 51.1 percent from the field, which included 50 percent (9-of-18) from 3-point range.

Both rosters are boosted with the return of key players from a season ago, but neither team finished with a record above .500 in 2013-14. But as long as Balentine is in the lineup, the Purple Aces will have a chance to win, assuming the rest of the roster contributes. Even though it's on the road, Evansville's strong scoring lineup will give Miami fits.