Boxscore

Sophomores Pieter van Tongeren and Kavon Lacey had combined for just 41 points this season coming into Tuesday's game against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.  Now you can add another 31 to their season point total.  

van Tongeren scored 17, Lacey added 14, and seniors Shy Ely and Jason Holsinger tossed in another 29 points as the University of Evansville topped 80  for the first time this season in an 89-58 win over SIUE at Evansville's Roberts Stadium.  The Aces are 4-1 heading into Saturday's home game against Ball State.  The Cougars are 2-5.

Tuesday's game brought together a pair of Evansville graduates on the sidelines.  SIUE head coach Lennox Forrester was an assistant coach for six years with the Aces alongside current Evansville head coach Marty Simmons.  Simmons was SIUE's head coach from 2002 through 2007.

"Lennox has a good team, and we were fortunate to win, let alone win by such a big margin," Simmons said.  "Our guys were more aggressive tonight.  Pieter had two of his most energetic practices this week, and tonight he played like he practiced.  Kavon needs to be more aggressive, and he was tonight.  He gave us a big lift coming off the bench."

Ely added his second double-double of the season, with 15 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, and Holsinger added 11 points and five assists. Freshman guard Kaylon Williams made his first collegiate start, and ended up with six points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists.

It was defense that put away the game early.  The Aces held SIUE to only seven points through the first 10 minutes of the game, building a 22-7 lead.  The Cougars could never get closer than 10 in the first half, and a 14-3 run by Evansville to begin the second half gave the Aces a 54-31 lead at the 15:20 mark.

Evansville ended up with a 61-31 rebounding advantage, and outscored the Cougars at the free throw line 28-14.  The Aces shot 45 percent and held SIUE to 33 percent shooting.