Evansville basketball: Who’s new to the Purple Aces for the 2025-26 season?

EVANSVILLE — The rationale for David Ragland was simple this offseason: adapt or get left behind.

The University of Evansville men’s basketball program enters year four under Ragland following an 11-win campaign. The 2024-25 season was the definition of a mixed bag ― the Purple Aces struggled in the nonconference portion, but also earned their most Missouri Valley Conference victories in nearly a decade. The winter ended with a loss to Murray State at Arch Madness.

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It hasn’t been a quiet offseason inside Fifth Third Practice Facility. Ragland inked a contract extension in April reportedly through the 2029-30 season. The coaching staff also had to restock the roster after 10 athletes, including walk-ons, left via graduation or the transfer portal. The reaction was the addition of seven new players.

More: David Ragland signs contract extension to remain Evansville basketball coach

There was a clear emphasis with the new roster. The Aces got noticeably older.

“We sign our guys with the intent that they’re going to be with us,” Ragland said. “We want lifelong relationships and want them to be with us throughout the duration of their career. We want them to graduate. There’s no hard feelings (if they leave). We know it’s just part of it.

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“If we don’t adapt to it, then we’re going to continue to struggle in some areas. If we’re going to have guys for nine months, we might as well have them at the end. (Guys) that value the opportunity and understand they’re going to give everything they have.”

Here are Evansville’s departures from last season

• Romando Battle II, transferred to North Carolina Central

• Tayshawn Comer, transferred to Nevada (16.2 ppg, 4.1 apg)

• Tanner Cuff, transferred to Hawaii (8.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.3 apg)

• Michael Day, transferred to Northwest Nazarene (2.4 ppg)

• Cameron Gehlhausen, graduated

• Cam Haffner, transferred to Western Kentucky (12.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg)

• Gabriel Pozzato, transferred to Xavier (14.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg)

• Gui Tesch, transferred to Barry (DII)

Who are the newcomers?

• Marlon Barnes Jr., a 6-6 sophomore forward from Pittsburgh

• AJ Casey, 6-9 senior forward from Saint Louis

• Aaron Gutman, 6-7 freshman guard from Walton-Verona (Ky.) (23.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg)

• Alex Hemenway, 6-4 senior guard from Vanderbilt

• Leif Moeller, 6-7 freshman guard from Germany

• Keishon Porter, 6-5 senior guard from North Carolina Central (10.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg)

• Bryce Quinet, 6-3 freshman guard from Notre Dame Prep (Ariz.)

The Aces went for experience in the portal: Hemenway (sixth year), Porter (fifth year) and Casey (fourth year) are all seniors. Barnes is a third-year sophomore. The difference from other programs is how UE balanced the additions with freshmen. Quinet was on board since the fall. Moeller and Gutman were both late adds in the spring.

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More: Why Alex Hemenway chose to finish his college basketball career at Evansville

Evansville is not beginning from scratch either. All-MVC Defensive Player of the Year Connor Turnbull and Joshua Hughes are returning starters. Kaia Berridge and Trent Hundley received some minutes off the bench. Castle grad Wes Aigner and South Knox grad Dakota Candler complete the roster.

“I really like the DNA of our group,” Ragland said. “You walk in our gym, and it’s a loud gym. That’s not by accident. They intentionally communicate and talk to each other. And they happen to be pretty good at basketball. I feel like this may be the most depth we’ve had since we’ve been here.”

Other preseason notes on the Purple Aces

The nonconference schedule likely won’t be officially announced until at least August. But some matchups have been confirmed over the summer or known based on previous scheduling.

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Evansville will open the season at Purdue on Nov. 4 ― its first meeting with the Boilermakers, a likely top-five team in the country, in 20 years. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports also reported in April that Notre Dame will host UE in December. The Aces are expected to visit Western Kentucky, plus host Middle Tennessee State and UT Arlington as part of multi-year series.

It was also announced UE will be one of eight participants in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam tournament along with Akron, College of Charleston, Green Bay, Iona, Oregon State, UMass, and Yale. The Aces play Oregon State in the opening round.

Moeller, a freshman guard from Germany, is expected to join the program as early as next week.

“You have a good pulse on your group from the summer,” Ragland said. “That’s the positive of having summer access. You kind of know who you have and figure out personalities. This team works. We have a couple of older, mature guys. It’s a benefit.”

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This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville basketball: Roster reset ahead of the 2025-26 season