UE improves to 2-2 on the season

 For the second time in four games as a member of the Purple Aces, Shea Feehan scored 20 points to lead the University of Evansville to an 85-63 win over Texas Southern on Sunday inside the Ford Center.

Feehan, who scored 14 of those in the first half, was 7-12 from the floor and 5-8 from outside.  Noah Frederking recorded 16 points while Shamar Givance and John Hall posted nine apiece.  Hall grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds as the Aces (2-2) outrebounded the Tigers (1-4) by a 47-43 tally.

“We really worked hard to get our guys actively engaged on each side of the ball.  Our defense definitely looked better today,” Aces head coach Walter McCarty said.  “Our pace was so much better in the second half.  We did not play with as much tempo in the first half.  I thought Shamar (Givance), Jawaun (Newton) and Shea were really able to push the ball today. ”

Evansville was credited with 16 assists on the day while draining 10 triples as a team.  UE shot 46.9% and held TSU to 32.4% for the game.

Texas Southern grabbed a 5-0 lead out of the gate before the Aces got it in gear, posting the next 13 points to go up 13-5 at the 13:24 mark.  Shea Feehan scored the first eight points for the Aces, finishing the first half with a team-best 14.  Included in that tally was a pair of triples.

The Tigers got within a pair at 13-11 before the Aces extended the lead with a late rally in the first 20 minutes.  Up 29-24 with 2:16 remaining, Evansville went on a 7-2 stretch to take a 35-26 lead into the break.  Noah Frederking and Marty Hill each had field goals in the final stretch.

It was Feehan serving as the hero once again early in the second half.  A pair of TSU baskets cut the Aces lead to five when Feehan knocked down his fourth 3-pointer of the day.  Three days after setting his career mark with 26 points, Noah Frederking added five in a row to push the lead to 13 (45-32), the largest of the day.

Frederking nailed another three with 8:02 remaining in the game that made it a 58-39 contest before the advantage reached 24 in the final minute before Evansville finished the day with an 85-63 win.

“I think we did a good job of attacking the rim today, that was a big point of emphasis for us.  We executed our game plan very well,” senior Marty Hill said after the game.  He finished with eight points and five boards.

K.J. Riley had seven points, six rebounds and four assists today.  He explained the pace of the team today, which went from scoring 35 in the first half to adding 50 in the final 20 minutes.

“Our game plan was to play with more of a pace today,” he said.  “I felt like we did that today, especially in the second half.”

Leading Texas Southern was Jalyn Patterson, who had 26 points and 7 rebounds.

Next up for the Aces is a game at Ball State on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT.  The next home game is on November 28 against Wyoming.  Tip is at 6 p.m.