Complete Team Effort Lifts UE To Road Win A Indiana State

Complete Team Effort Lifts UE To Road Win A Indiana State

Shamar Givance Scored 19 In The win 

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For the first time since January 26, 2011, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team picked up a road win over Indiana State, finishing with a 65-56 win over the Sycamores on Tuesday at the Hulman Center.

Evansville (6-16, 2-9 MVC) led by 10 points at the half before the Sycamores (9-14, 2-9 MVC) rallied to take a 50-48 lead in the second half.  A 9-0 run by the Purple Aces made the difference with an incredible play by Gage Bobe highlighting the stretch.

“I am really proud of the way our guys responded tonight.  Everyone really stepped up and did their job,” Aces head coach Todd Lickliter said.  “Shamar (Givance) hit some big shots for us and Gage gave us some really good minutes.  When Indiana State made the run in the second half, I told our guys that we made a run of our own in the first half – let’s do it again.”

Givance led all players with 19 points with 7 of his 12 shots finding the bottom of the net.  Antoine Smith Jr. finished the night with 10 and hit all three of his field goal tries.  Evan Kuhlman and Blake Sisley recorded 9 points while Preston Phillips and Noah Frederking tallied eight.  Bobe played a career-high 34 minutes and hit a huge shot inside of four minutes remaining to give UE a 4-point edge.  Four Sycamores reached double figures, led by 15 from Cameron Henry.

After Indiana State scored the opening four points of the game, Evan Kuhlman found a cutting Shamar Givance to get UE on the board.  Evansville scored four in a row before a triple from Kuhlman gave the team its first lead of the night at 7-6. Antoine Smith Jr., who scored 10 points in the first half, drained his first triple of the game to push the lead to 14-8 at the 14:39 mark.

Evansville continued to control the game for the duration of the half, with ISU getting as close as five points (21-16) inside of nine minutes remaining.  Blake Sisley recorded a 3-pointer in a 10-3 run that extended the lead to 12.  Smith scored five in a row before a turnaround jumper by Kuhlman made it a 31-19 Aces lead inside the final four minutes.  The double-digit lead for Evansville was intact at the break with UE holding a 33-23 advantage.  Smith led all players with 10 in the period.

Noah Frederking converted an outside attempt in the opening three minutes of the second half to solidify a 38-27 lead.  Evansville continued to lead by a 43-33 margin before Indiana State stormed back.  Hitting 9 out of 11 shots, the Sycamores went on a 17-6 run to take their first lead of the half.  With 11:02 remaining, a 3-point play by Henry tied the game at 44-44.  A pair of hook shots by Sisley put UE back in front, but with 7:18 showing on the clock, it was Julian Larry scoring on a drive to the basket to give ISU a 50-48 edge.

It was Givance tying it right up on the ensuing possession and starting a 9-0 run that would firm the grip UE had on the game.  At the 3:39 mark, a wild shot by Gage Bobe was the game-changer.  With the shot clock winding down, Bobe grabbed the loose ball and threw up a shot that pushed the lead to four.

The dagger came with 2:08 remaining when Givance was true from downtown to make it a 59-50 game.  From there, the Aces cruised to the 65-56 win.  Evansville shot 50% on the night with ISU finishing at 46.8%.  Evansville hit six triples while ISU was held to 0-for-17.  It was the first time the Sycamores did not hit a triple since 2008.  Another unique stat is that neither team grabbed an offensive rebound.

In less than 48 hours, the teams will meet at the Ford Center with a tip set for 6 p.m. on Thursday.