Boxscore

DES MOINES, Iowa -- For the second year in a row, the University of Evansville won at the buzzer at Drake University's Knapp Center.  This time, it was a 25-footer by Denver Holmes that gave the Purple Aces a 56-53 victory Saturday in the regular season finale for both teams.

Although Evansville won only three Missouri Valley Conference games this season, the Aces are 3-2 in Valley play in the last five league games.  They will play #7 seed Missouri State on Thursday at 8:35 CST in the opening round of the State Farm MVC Tournament at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

It was Evansville's previous trip to the Knapp Center, January 29, 2009, when the Aces beat Drake 65-62 on a halfcourt three-pointer by Kaylon Williams at the buzzer
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On Saturday, the Aces went six minutes and 55 seconds in the first half without scoring a point, but still took at 22-19 lead into the halftime break.  Ned Cox hit five of eight shots and scored 12 points in the first 20 minutes, and the Aces held Drake to 29 percent shooting (7-for-24).

Evansville led by five at 37-32 on Denver Holmes' three-pointer with 10:20 to go before the Bulldogs hit back to back threes, from Craig Stanley and Josh Young, to go up 38-37.  Drake went up by five on two occasions in the final six minutes, but the Aces came right back with three-pointers from Holmes and Colt Ryan, and a rebound basket by James Haarsma, to take a 50-47 lead with 2:01 remaining.

Haarsma scored again following two Drake free throws to put Evansville up 52-49 with 1:17 to go, and after Josh Young hit two free thows for Drake, Cox hit one of two free throws for the Aces with 17 seconds to go, putting Evansville ahead 53-51.  Young then drove to the basket and tied it up at 53 with eight seconds to go.  That set up the last second deja vu dramatics by Holmes, who took the inbounds pass, crossed mid-court, looked for an opening, and then stopped and flung up the 28-footer that went in just as the red scoreboard light lit up.

Cox led the Aces with 18, Ryan added 16 and Haarsma scored 10 for the Aces (9-20, 3-15).  Young's 16 led Drake, which is 13-18 overall and 7-11.  The Bulldogs are the #8 seed and will play #9 Southern Illinois in the first game of the MVC Tournament Thursday.
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