EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Denver Holmes was struggling with a stomach virus Sunday morning, enough so that coach Marty Simmons wasn't sure until two hours before game time that he would play.

By the end of the day, the 6'4" junior was making the Bradley Braves feel his pain.  Holmes hit six of seven shots to lead the University of Evansville Purple Aces (10-9, 4-5) to a 70-67 Missouri Valley Conference victory over Bradley (6-14, 0-9) Sunday afternoon at Roberts Stadium.
Denver Holmes post-game news conference
Holmes had plenty of help, with Kenneth Harris, Pieter van Tongeren and Colt Ryan scoring 11 points each for the Aces.  Jordan Prosser, Will Egolf and Andrew Warren led the injury-depleted Braves with 12 points each.

Evansville took the lead for good at 9-7, and led by 13 in the first half and by 12 with just five minutes to go in the game, 62-50.  But the Braves took advantage of missed Evansville free throws and good shooting of their own to narrow the margin to one at 68-67 when Prosser made a layup and was fouled by van Tongeren with 10 seconds remaining.  Prosser missed the free throw, van Tongeren was fouled on the rebound, and hit both free throws with seven seconds to go to give the Aces a 70-67 lead.  Walt Lemon, Jr.'s three-pointer for the Braves rimmed out with three seconds left, enabling the Aces to hang on and improve their homecourt record to 8-2.

Despite missing four out of six free throws in the final minutes before van Tongeren hit his two at the end, the Aces actually won the game at the line, hitting 14 of 23 compared to Bradley's 6-for-13 free throw shooting.

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