Aces and Falcons to tangle at 7 p.m.
The third contest in a five-game homestand is set for Tuesday night as the University of Evansville men’s basketball team welcomes Bowling Green to the Ford Center for a 7 p.m. game.
Evansville put forth one of its best efforts of the season on Saturday, earning a 72-67 win over Boise State for its second-consecutive win in the MVC/Mountain West Challenge after earning a road win at Fresno State a season ago. UE led by as many as 10 points with four minutes remaining, but the Broncos roared back to tie it up before the Aces knocked down all six free throws in the final minute. Jaylon Brown knocked down 11 out of 12 free throws on his way to a game-high 21 points while Ryan Taylor finished with 14.
Willie Wiley made it 3-for-4 as he notched double figures for the third time in four games with 13 points against Boise State. Over the last two games, Wiley has connected on 11 of his 13 attempts, including a 5-6 effort against the Broncos. Wiley was extremely efficient, knocking down 6 of his 7 attempts on his way to 14 points; he also blocked three shots.
Jaiveon Eaves had a nice game against Wabash, posting seven points on 3-for-7 shooting from the floor. He was on the floor for 21 minutes while grabbing two rebounds and had two assists. In the victory over Boise State, Eaves played just four minutes, but made it count as his triple in the first half got the Aces within two in the victory.
Another freshman – Dru Smith – also played a pivotal role against the Broncos. With 38 seconds remaining and the game tied, Smith hit a pair of free throws that gave the Aces the lead for good as they improved to 4-4 on the season.
Bowling Green comes to Evansville with a 3-5 mark following an 85-56 loss at Cincinnati on Sunday. Prior to that game, the Falcons won three in a row, including triumphs over Murray State and Morgan State. Pacing BGSU is Wes Alcegaire, who enters Tuesday’s game with 13 points per game. Just behind him is Zack Denny, who has notched 12.6 PPG along with a team-best 17 steals.
In three match-ups in the series between the two schools, Bowling Green has a slight 2-1 lead. The teams played a home-and-home in 2000 and 2001 with the Falcons taking both ends. Evansville won the other meeting, which was played in Owensboro, Ky. in 1949.
