Aces improve to 10-1 in Ford Center openers
 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – For the 10th time in 11 seasons, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team opened their Ford Center schedule with a victory, taking down IUPUI by a final of 60-40 on Thursday evening.
Four Purple Aces (1-1) finished in double figures with Shamar Givance leading the way with 16 points along with a game-high 7 rebounds. Evan Kuhlman was 4-for-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from outside on his way to 13 points while Jawaun Newton and Blaise Beauchamp recorded 12 points apiece. Kuhlman and Newton added two assists apiece while Givance had three steals. IUPUI (0-2) was led by B.J. Maxwell’s 8 points.
The defensive effort for UE was stellar, holding an opponent to 40 points or fewer for the first time since an 83-39 win over Wabash on Nov. 30, 2016. It was the first time holding a Division I opponent to 40 or fewer since a 67-35 triumph over Bradley on January 9, 2016.
“It was a struggle in the first half on both ends but we kept guarding and I thought we rebounded very well,†UE head coach Todd Lickliter said following the win. “We had better ball and player movement (in the second half) and those are things you have to learn and that is what we are doing.â€
Evan Kuhlman knocked down the first basket of the evening, hitting a triple on a feed from Jawaun Newton. Shamar Givance added a layup that pushed the lead to 5-0. After missing their first four shots of the game, IUPUI scored the next four points. UE wrestled away an 11-6 edge before a 5-minute scoreless drought saw the Jaguars get back within one at 11-10 just past the halfway point of the period.
It was Newton who got the Aces back on track, drilling a three before Blaise Beauchamp scored four points in a row to push the lead to 18-12. The game remained within two possessions as the half wound down with the Aces taking a 23-19 lead into halftime. The Jaguars shot 42.9% in the period but UE had three triples and six free throws to cement the lead.
Out of the break, IUPUI scored the first basket to make it a 2-point game once again, but on the Aces end, it was Iyen Enaruna stepping up. After hitting a layup to make it a 25-21 game, Enaruna put an inbound pass into the basket to expand the lead. Newton added a basket of his own to push the lead to 29-21, the largest edge to that point.
The Jaguars closed back within five tallies with a 3-pointer before Evansville took full control. Up 31-26, the Aces scored 11 points in a row to take a 42-26 advantage with 12:13 remaining. Kuhlman got things rolling with a triple before two free throws by Newton gave UE its first double digit advantage at 37-26. Another triple by Kuhlman was followed by a Givance layup that capped off the run.
Evansville kept the intensity over the remainder of the contest, leading by as many as 22 in the final minute before finishing with the 60-40 victory. UE’s defense held the Jaguars to a final shooting tally of 33.3%. On the offensive end, the Aces hit 11 out of 17 shots (64.7%) in the final 20 minutes on their way to a final of 47.4%. The Aces also completed the game with a 33-26 edge on the glass.
Another quick turnaround will see the Aces in action on Saturday with a 4 p.m. CT contest at Belmont
