U OF E Men’s Basketball Defeats Top-Ranked Kentucky At Rupp Arena

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Men’s Basketball Defeats Top-Ranked Kentucky At Rupp Arena


Box Score (PDF)


Tuesday’s game marked the third time in Evansville (2-0) history that the Aces took on the #1 team.  The win also had major significance in Missouri Valley Conference history as the victory was the first time a member school defeated a top-ranked non-conference team on the road.  It was the 13th-ever MVC win over a #1 school and the ninth in non-conference play.  The last Valley win over the #1 school since Nov. 21, 2015 when UNI defeated North Carolina in Cedar Falls.

“I don’t know if anything matches this other than winning a national championship from a basketball standpoint,” Aces head coach Walter McCarty said. “It’s awesome to be able to come in here and play on this type of stage and my guys, I have a good group of guys. They love each other and they’re really connected. And this group to come in here and be able to do that is just awesome.  It does not get any better than that.”

Leading the Purple Aces was senior K.J. Riley.  He scored 18 points while going a perfect 8-for-8 from the line.  Sam Cunliffe posted his second 17-point effort in as many games.  He hit six shots with two coming from outside.  He also added a team-high six rebounds.  Kentucky (2-1) saw Immanuel Quickley score 16 points to go along with 9 rebounds.  Tyrese Maxey recorded 15.

The win marked the 17th in program history against ranked opponents.  The last win came on January 1, 2015 when UE defeated #23 UNI.  The highest previous opponent that the program defeated came when the Aces took down #7 Purdue on Dec. 19, 1983.

After Kentucky scored the opening three points of the night, Noah Frederking got UE on the board with a layup.  Jawaun Newton drained a three on an in-bound player to tie it up at 5-5 and six minutes in, Sam Cunliffe dunked it to give UE its first lead at 10-8.

The Wildcats rebounded to back a 16-15 lead, but with 10:28 left in the half, Cunliffe was true from long range and gave UE a lead that it would not give up for the remainder of the half.  It started a 9-0 stretch, including seven in a row by Cunliffe.  Artur Labinowicz wrapped up the run on a second-chance layup that pushed the lead to 24-16 with 6:13 left in the half.

Held scoreless for four minutes, Kentucky scored four in a row to cut the Aces lead in half, but a triple by Riley and a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession gave the Aces a 29-22 lead.  UK closed in the final moments as they went to the half trailing the Aces by a 34-30 margin.  Cunliffe was the top performer in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Noah Frederking drained a triple in the first possession of the second half, but the top-ranked Wildcats worked their way back, eventually tying it up at 44-44 as Tyrese Maxey scored five in a row, including the tying triple with 12:25 on the clock.  Kentucky would retake the lead at 48-46 on a pair of free throws a minute later.

Shamar Givance made sure that lead did not last too long as the next possession saw him nail his first bucket of the game – a triple to give the Aces the lead.  After UK tied it back up with eight minutes remaining, it was UE’s senior coming through once again, draining his second trey make it a 56-53 contest.

Williams’ fourth basket of the game, coupled with a confident three from Frederking, saw UE establish a 61-55 advantage at the 4-minute mark.  UK got within three in the final minute at 65-62 on a Quickley layup.  Following a UE turnover, the Wildcats had the ball down three with 14 seconds left.  Maxey drove to the basket for a layup to make it a 1-point game.  On the inbound, the Wildcats fouled Sam Cunliffe.  With the game hanging in the balance, he drained both free throws to push the lead back to three.  Kentucky had one final chance, but a Maxey triple at the buzzer fell short, giving UE the win.

In just two days, the Aces are back home as they take on IU Kokomo on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. inside the Ford Center.

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