Boxscore
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- The Purple Aces dropped behind by 11, battled back to take a second half lead, but couldn't hold on here Tuesday night as Austin Peay held off the University of Evansville 71-68. The Aces play again next Tuesday, Dec. 29, in their MVC opener at home against Missouri State.
Sophomore Denver Holmes scored a career-high 16 points, freshman Ned Cox added 15, and junior center Clint Hopf produced his first career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Austin Peay's Anthony Campbell led all scorers with 17.
The game featured 72 free throws. Evansville was 22 for 29 at the line, and Austin Peay was 28 for 43.
"We fouled too much and we turned it over too much, but our guys really battled and battled, and I'm proud of that," said UE Coach Marty Simmons. "I thought Denver really played well, and Clint did a good job for us inside. We're a work in progress, but if our guys keep commiting themselves to what we're trying to accomplish, we'll keep getting better and better."
Austin Peay ran off 14 straight points to take a 17-6 lead in the first eight minutes, and still led by 11 at 29-18 before the Aces regrouped. Behind Hopf's six points, Evansville cut Austin Peay's lead to three at 29-26 late in the first half. But the Governors came right back with a burst of their own to go up 39-30 at halftime.
Evansville wasn't done yet, however. Cox buried two straight threes to cut Austin Peay's led to 40-38 early in the second half, and one minute later Holmes hit a layup, was fouled and converted the free throw to give the Aces their first lead at 41-40. Ten lead changes followed and neither team could build more than a six-point lead, but Caleb Brown provided the clutch shot of the night with his 15-foot fadeaway with 1:45 to play that gave the Govs a 66-62 lead.
The Aces missed three shots and made a turnover before Colt Ryan finally hit two free throws with 24 seconds remaining to cut the AP lead to 66-64. Tyrone Caldwell added one free throw for AP to make it 67-64 with 19 seconds to play, Cox hit a layup for UE to cut the margin to 67-66 with eight ticks left, but Caldwell followed with two free throws to make it 69-66 with six seconds remaining. Cox was fouled to keep the Aces from shooting a three, and although he hit both to make it 69-68, UE couldn't make a steal on the inbounds pass. Instead, Anthony Campbell hit two free throws to clinch the win after Holmes' desperation shot at the buzzer fell short.
