Boxscore
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Shy Ely and Nate Garner saved their best for last, and just in time to give the University of Evansville Purple Aces a 65-59 victory Sunday afternoon at Indiana State. The win ended a 16-game road losing streak against Missouri Valley Conference opponents.
The Aces (10-3, 2-1) return home Wednesday to play Missouri State at Roberts Stadium. Game time is 7:05.
Down by 14 in the first half, and by 12 with just over 15 minutes to go, the Aces went to their two senior forwards down the stretch. Ely scored 20 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. Garner scored 16 of his career-high 21 in the second half.
"Those two guys took over for us in the second half, and that's exactly what we needed from them," said UE Coach Marty Simmons. "We didn't shoot well, but we found other ways to get back in the game."
The win was Evansville's third at Terre Haute in the last four years.
The Sycamores (3-11, 1-2) jumped ahead early, leading 23-9 and 25-11 before Evansville finally went on a 10-1 run late in the first half to cut Indiana State's lead to five at 26-21 on Garner's bucket with 1:10 to play in the first half. But Indiana State got a three-point play from Isiah Martin and a bucket from Aaron Carter to go up 10 at halftime, 31-21. Evansville shot only 24 percent in the first half, hitting seven of 29 shots. Indiana State blocked eight shots in the first half.
But the game finally began going Evansville's way in the final 10 minutes. The Aces chipped away and took their first lead of the game with 1:41 to play on a tip-in from Ely. They finally went ahead for good on Ely's bucket with 1:00 to go that made it 59-58. Defense and free throws took over from there. Evansville held the Sycamores to just one free throw in the final minute; meanwhile, Jason Holsinger, Ely and Garner hit free throws to give the Aces the six-point victory.
The Aces shot only 36 percent, but Evansville outrebounded the Sycamores 42-27 and forced them into 17 turnovers. As a result, the Aces took 15 more shots than Indiana State. Ely and Garner were the only two in double figures for UE. Freshman James Haarsma added eight points and seven rebounds in his first collegiate start, and Kaylon Williams added six points and eight rebounds. Harry Marshall led Indiana State with 16.
Sunday's win gives the Aces more victories in 2008-09 than they produced in all of 2007-08, Simmons' first year as head coach.
