Cuff’s career game lifts Aces past Beacons
Aces take 78-68 road win at Valparaiso
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Tanner Cuff scored a career-high 22 points to lead the University of Evansville men’s basketball team to a 78-68 road victory over Valparaiso at the ARC.
Cuff was 8-for-12 from the field on the way to his career game. His previous scoring high of 18 points came earlier this season against Chattanooga. Just behind Cuff was Gabriel Pozzato who finished with 21 points. Both led the Purple Aces with seven boards. Tayshawn Comer completed the game with 17 points while Connor Turnbull reached double figures once again with 11. He matched his career mark with six blocked shots.
“We stayed with the plan and did what we needed to do to come away with the win. I am proud of our guys for how they battled from start to finish,” Evansville head coach David Ragland said. “The way we practiced yesterday really set the tone for today. Our guys brought intensity and focus that carried over into the game.”
Shooting 66.7% in the first half, the Purple Aces found themselves up by 18 at the break. Gabriel Pozzato found Tanner Cuff for the first basket of the game with Valpo taking its first lead with four in a row. Tayshawn Comer found Connor Turnbull for a basket to put the Aces back in front before Comer hit from downtown to give UE an 11-6 lead five minutes into the game.
At the 12:45 mark, a dunk by the Beacons cut the UE lead to 17-16 before Comer responded with a layup to cap an 8-of-11 start from the field. As the clock moved under eight minutes to play in the first half, it was Comer knocking down his third 3-pointer of the day to push the lead to eight points at 29-21.
Evansville’s largest run came in the late stages of the period. Up 30-23 with 7:14 remaining until halftime, UE outscored Valpo by a 14-2 margin to take its largest lead at 44-25. Turnbull had a putback dunk during the stretch while Kaia Berridge and Comer added triples to expand the advantage. Valparaiso hit a free throw in its final possession to make it a 44-26 at halftime.
In the first possession of the second half, Pozzato’s third triples of the day gave the Aces their first 20-point lead at 47-26. With 13 minutes remaining, a triple by Tanner Cuff expanded the UE advantage to a game-high 22 points at 62-40. The Beacons countered over the next three minutes, posting nine points in a row to cut the deficit to 13. Comer and Pozzato connected on field goals to prevent the Beacons from getting closer at the lead stood at 66-49 entering the final eight minutes of the game.
The lead for UE went back up to 20 points inside of the 7-minute mark (72-52) before Valpo fought back once again. With under two minutes remaining, the Beacons stormed back to make it a 10-point game and threatened to get even closer, but a huge make by Turnbull ended the stretch and the Aces came out on top by a final of 78-68. One play that did not make the scoresheet was by Tanner Cuff. After the Beacons got within ten, he drew a charge on what would have been a made basket by Valpo. Instead, UE got the possession and added to its lead.
After shooting 66.7% in the first half, the Aces completed the game at 58.0% while holding the Beacons to 38.6%. Valparaiso had a 36-31 advantage on the glass. Cooper Schwieger, All Wright, and Tyler Schmidt led Valpo with 13 points apiece. On Wednesday, the Aces return home to face Murray State in a 7 p.m. game at the Ford Center.
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