UE looking for 8th win of the season
Three home non-conference games are on tap for the University of Evansville men’s basketball team who begins the stretch on Saturday versus Canisius. Tip is set for 1 p.m. inside the Ford Center.
A great night at Bowling Green saw the Aces shoot 80% (12-of-15) from long range to improve its season percentage to 50.7%, tops in the country. UE’s 80% effort against the Falcons was also the top contest from 3-point range in the nation this year. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, just eight teams have shot that mark from long range.
The lone meeting between the Aces and Golden Griffins was a big one in program history. On March 13, 2013, Evansville picked up an 84-83 road win over Canisius in the CIT. Colt Ryan, playing what would be his second-to-last college game, poured in 38 points in the road win and set the program scoring record in that game. Ryan’s final tally of 2,279 points topped Larry Humes’ 2,236; D.J. Balentine passed both during the 2015-16 season.
Winning seven of its first nine games, the Purple Aces are 7-2 for the third time in four years. Between 1989 and 2014, the team posted three such starts (1994-95, 2004-05 and 2008-09).
Sophomore Dru Smith connected on 11 out of 13 attempts to finish with a career-high 25 points on Tuesday at Bowling Green. It marked Smith’s top game at UE, passing his 19 scored at Wichita State last season. A great all-around threat, Smith ranks in the top seven in the MVC in assists (1st-5.4/game), 3-point % (2nd-61.1%), steals (3rd-1.8/game), field goal % (3rd-66.1%) and free throw % (7th-81.5%).
Senior Blake Simmons is on one of the best scoring runs in his career, recording 33 points over the last two games. Simmons finished with 17 points against Oakland City before scoring 16 at BGSU; it is just behind his top 2-game streak at UE, which came as a freshman as he scored 18 at Bradley and 17 next time out against Illinois State. His top 3-game scoring output came in his freshman campaign, scoring 47 in three games. He is on pace for his top college season, averaging 11.0 PPG; his best season came in 2013-14 when he finished with 9.3 PPG.
Canisius heads to Evansville with a 4-5 record following a 73-65 loss to St. Bonaventure on Wednesday evening. The Golden Griffins are led by 16.9 points per game from Isaiah Reese, who led all players with 13 points against the Bonnies. Reese was 10-17 from the field and 5-10 from outside while posting 7 rebounds. Jermaine Crumpton stands with 15.2 PPG while Takal Molson averages 10.7 points.
