Boxscore

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The host Buffalo Bulls warmed up from the field on a cold night, and the result was an 81-60 men's basketball victory Saturday night over the University of Evansville Aces.

Evansville kept the game close through the first 17 minutes of the first half, but the Bulls outscored the Aces 10-2 to take a 37-28 halftime lead and then scored the first four points of the second half to go up 41-28.  Evansville never got closer than eight points after that.  Junior forward Shy Ely led the Aces with 22 points, one shy of his career high in the Southeast Missouri game two weeks ago.  Jason Holsinger was the only other UE player to reach double figures, with 11.  Buffalo's deep roster was led by guard Sean Smiley with 14 points.  The Bulls shot 59.2 percent, hitting 29 of 49 shots.  Evansville was 21 for 53 for 39.6 percent.  Buffalo, a member of the Mid-American Conference, is now 4-0 at home and 5-3 overall.  Evansville  is 1-4.  The Aces return home Wednesday to host the Ivy League Princeton Tigers for the first time.  Game time is 7:05 CST.

"I have to give Buffalo a lot of credit," said UE Coach Marty Simmons, "but we have to think about the way in which we prepare for every game.  That's important right now for us, to get ready for Princeton and carry out our game plan.  I didn't think we did that tonight."