Aces improve to 6-0 with a 93-74 win over SEMO
Humrichous scores 27 in the win
NOVEMBER 25, 2023
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Leading from start to finish on Saturday, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team improved to 6-0 with a 93-74 victory over Southeast Missouri State in the second game of the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Classic inside McKenzie Arena.
With the win, the Purple Aces improved to 6-0 for the first time since the 1964-65 undefeated national championship season. It also marked the first such instance since UE joined the Division I ranks in 1977.
“Our group was mature enough to handle them (SEMO) chopping away at the lead. SEMO had a good game plan, but I credit our group with having a big start,†Aces head coach David Ragland said. “We received contributions from each guy who stepped on the floor. Yesterday was an extremely emotional game and for us to come back today and play the way we did was special.â€
Once again, it was Ben Humrichous leading the way. Converting 11 of his 13 field goal tries, Humrichous scored 27 points while adding six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. He was 3-of-5 from long range. Joshua Hughes recorded 21 points in an efficient 8-for-12 shooting day. Hughes accumulated six boards, three assists and a pair of blocks. Kenny Strawbridge Jr. finished with 17. SEMO was led by Adam Larson’s 22 points. He knocked down six 3-pointers.
Hitting their opening four attempts, the Purple Aces jumped out to an 8-0 lead just over a minute into the contest. Kenny Strawbridge Jr. recorded five of the first eight points. SEMO closed to within four points at 12-8 before the Aces retook control. Joshua Hughes posted three points in a quick 5-0 spurt before adding another field goal to give Evansville its first double-digit lead at 21-10 with 12:22 remaining in the period.
As the game reached the midway point of the half, Chuck Bailey III connected on a triple in a run that stretched the lead to 28-12. Five minutes later, it was another Humrichous basket that pushed the advantage to 20 points for the first time – 37-17. Evansville’s lead reached 27 points inside the final two minutes when an alley-oop from Tanner Cuff to Hughes made it a 51-24 contest.
Southeast Missouri State never gave up as they scored the final five points of the stanza to trail by a 51-29 score at halftime. Evansville scorched the nets, shooting 61.1% in the half with three players reaching double figures, led by Humrichous’ 15 points. Strawbridge and Hughes scored 11 apiece.
After shifting the momentum to complete the first half, SEMO continued to rally in the early moments of the second. A pair of triples saw them make it a 51-35 score before Strawbridge knocked down two free throws to temporarily end the stretch. The Redhawks came right back with four in a row to get within 14.
Hughes’ sixth field goal of the day pushed the UE lead back to 15 tallies at 59-44, but the SEMO run continued as a 3-point play was part of another 5-0 spurt that made it a 59-49 game with 15 minutes left. With 13:40 remaining, the Redhawks got within eight before the Aces regained control. Antonio Thomas knocked down a pair of free throws to open a huge 9-0 run, which added some much-needed breathing room. Bailey hit a layup during the rally while Humrichous completed it with a 3-point play.
Despite the run by UE, Southeast Missouri State continued to put up a fight, cutting the deficit to 12 at the 8-minute mark, but the Evansville attack proved to be too much. The Aces never let SEMO any closer and would go back up by 21 in the final minute before earning the 93-74 win. UE finished the game shooting 56.5% while SEMO shot 44.8%. On the glass, the Aces finished with a 35-31 advantage.
Two Missouri Valley Conference games are on tap over the next week. UE opens league play at Missouri State on Wednesday before returning home to face UNI on Saturday.
