The University of Evansville acted quickly to hire a new men’s basketball head coach after firing Walter McCarty on Tuesday evening.

It’s a familiar face, too.

Todd Lickliter has been named head coach of the Purple Aces, effective immediately. He met with the team after 9 p.m. Tuesday evening and will be on the bench for Wednesday’s 6 p.m. home game against Drake.

“We regret to be in this position to be making a change in the middle of the year,” UE Athletics Director Mark Spencer told the Courier & Press, “but Coach Lickliter’s quality as a coach and a human being really makes him a fantastic candidate for being our head coach. I’m so happy to be able to bring him back to Evansville to be part of this community he loves so much."

More:UE fires Walter McCarty as head men's basketball coach

Lickliter, 64, was an assistant on McCarty’s staff last season before he resigned during the summer to recover from serious medical problems he suffered in an accident. He has since returned to full health and recently attended the Aces’ game at IUPUI after Thanksgiving.

There’s continuity between him, the assistant coaches and players, so UE hopes he’ll be able to get the team back on track to avoid a wasted season. Evansville (9-10, 0-6 Missouri Valley Conference) has not won since McCarty was placed on leave two days after Christmas.

“My family and I are excited to have the opportunity to rejoin the Evansville community,” Lickliter said in a statement. “I am humbled by the chance to lead the Purple Aces program and thankful to reunite with this outstanding group of student-athletes. It is a privilege to be a part of a program with a rich history and tradition.”

Lickliter formerly was the head coach at Butler and Iowa, as well as Marian University (an NAIA school in Indianapolis). His head coaching record is 218-154, including a 131-61 mark at Butler, where he led the Bulldogs to a pair of Sweet 16 appearances.

He was the 2007 NABC National Coach of the Year. He also technically has been the Aces’ head coach before: He served as interim head coach in place of McCarty for two games last season.

More:Evansville Aces fired basketball coach Walter McCarty. Here's what we know

Bennie Seltzer will remain on staff for the rest of the season alongside UE's other assistant coaches, Terrence Commodore and Logan Baumann.

“We very much appreciate Coach Seltzer taking over during this interim period,” Spencer said. “We know how difficult that is, but we look forward to him being able to help guide the guys under Coach Lickliter’s leadership for the rest of the year and hopefully moving forward.”

Notable coaches who have played or coached under Lickliter include: Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics head coach), LaVall Jordan (Butler head coach) and Matthew Graves (Xavier assistant).

Lickliter was already well-acquainted with the UE program from his playing days at Butler in the late 1970s and coaching against the Aces over the next three decades. He said when he was initially hired in 2018 how much he respects the school’s tradition, proximity to talent, educational opportunity for students and facilities at the athletes’ disposal.

“There’s so much to sell,” Lickliter said in April 2018. “We think we can build on what’s been here.”

He's now officially the eighth head coach in program history.

Contract specifics have not been announced other than UE saying Lickliter has inked a multi-year deal. He and Spencer will meet with the media to discuss the hire before Wednesday’s game.

“I would like to thank President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, Mark Spencer and the administration at the University of Evansville for the opportunity to coach these young men," Lickliter added. "We will strive to uphold the Aces rich tradition and bring pride to the UE community."

This is a developing story.

Contact Chad Lindskog of the Courier & Press by email, clindskog@gannett.com, or on Twitter: @chadlindskog.