Boxscore
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Circle the 116th game between the Evansville Purple Aces and the 23rd ranked Butler Bulldogs. It will go down as one of the best--at least if you're an Aces' fan.
Down by 12 in the first half, Evansville (3-2) took the lead midway through the second half, lost the lead in the final 10 seconds, and then came back in overtime to defeat the defending NCAA Tournament runners-up, 71-68, on a sunny Saturday afternoon inside Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler had not lost at home in two years, most recently beating Ball State at Hinkle one week earlier by 33 points for its 17th consecutive homecourt win.
"I can't remember more of a total team effort in a victory than in this one today," said coach Marty Simmons. "A lot of players, starters and guys off the bench, played a big role."
The Bulldogs (3-2) used back-to-back four-point plays to go on a 13-2 run and take a 33-21 lead on Zach Hahn's three-pointer from 28 feet with 5:17 to play in the first half. Evansville cut the halftime margin to seven, thanks in large part to Lewis Jones' aggressive play and first career three-pointer, and the Aces continued to chip away in the second half, finally taking the lead at 48-47 on Kenneth Harris#'s basket with 8:17 to go.
The lead extended to as many as five points, but with Evansville leading 61-58 with one minute to go, Butler scored the final three points of regulation to tie the game 61-61 on two Hahn free throws in the final 8.7 seconds and send it into overtime.
Butler's comeback didn't last long, however. Harris and Pieter van Tongeren set the tone with baskets to begin the overtime period, and Kavon Lacey added a bucket to make it 67-63 with less than two minutes remaining. Back came the Bulldogs to tie the game at 67, but Denver Holmes hit the biggest three-pointer of the season for Evansville with 17 seconds to play to give UE a 70-67 lead. Butler appeared to get bailed out when Shelvin Mack was fouled on a three-point try with 7.2 seconds to play, but after making his first at the line, Mack missed. He then missed the third attempt on purpose, Harris grabbed the rebound, and made one of two free throws to put the Aces up 71-68 with 5.7 seconds remaining. Mack shot an air ball on his three-point try at the end, and Evansville finally had its victory in hand.
This was Evansville's second win over a ranked team in its last seven games. The Aces beat 22nd ranked Northern Iowa last February at Roberts Stadium. The victory ended a seven-game losing streak to Butler, and was Evansville's first victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse since 1994. UE had lost six straight on Butler's home court.
"When players believe in the system and continue to work hard, good things will happen," Simmons said. "Today was a perfect example of that. We still have a lot of improvement to make, but I really like our guys and I like their potential."
Evansville has its longest layoff of the season--eight days--to get ready for next Sunday's game at the Air Force Academy as part of the Missouri Valley-Mountain West Challenge Series.
