Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Junior Colt Ryan was lights out, scoring 29 points, including 20 in the second half as the University of Evansville men’s basketball team picked up a hard-fought 86-65 win over North Carolina A&T on Saturday at the Ford Center.
 
Ryan hit 5-of-7 three-pointers in the win while going 11-11 from the free throw line.  Kenneth Harris ended a two-game single-digit scoring streak as he finished the night with 13 points, which included an 11-11 performance from the charity stripe.

“I think we did a lot of good things tonight,” head coach Marty Simmons said.  “The best thing about it is that we can improve quite a bit.  We’re still a work in progress and we need to keep working at it.” 
 
North Carolina A&T (4-5) got off to a quick start, recording the first seven points of the game as Adrian Powell hit his first three shots to take the advantage.  The Aces (4-4) quickly responded with eight consecutive points of their own to take their first lead of the game at 8-7.
 
Colt Ryan helped turn the run into a 20-2 span as he knocked down a pair of treys to put UE up 20-9.  The lead remained near or in double figures for the remainder of the half as a late three-pointer by freshman Jordan Nelson sent UE into the locker room with a 47-33 lead.
 
Part  of the Aces’ success in the period can be attributed to its performance from the free throw line as UE hit all 17 attempts in the half and would connect on their first 19 of the game.
 
In the opening 1:22 of the second half, Ryan hit his third trey of the game and Denver Holmes hit a layup to give Evansville its largest lead of the game to that point at 52-33.  North Carolina A&T chipped into the lead slightly, getting within 13 points on two occasions, including a bucket by Austin Witter with 12:19 left in the game to make it a 59-46 score in favor of the Aces.
 
Ryan helped Evansville keep its lead in double figures as he connected on his fourth trey of the second period to put Evansville up 69-52 with 8:34 remaining.  The Aggies would cut the gap to 13 tallies once again as Jean Louisme hit a free throw cut the gap to 69-56.
 
The Aces fought back each time the Aggies made a run as four Ryan free throws helped UE reestablish a 17-point edge with four minutes to go.  The lead only grew from there as Evansville would lead by as many as 23 before finishing off the 21-point victory.
 
Ned Cox tallied 12 points while Denver Holmes was the fourth Ace in double figures with ten.  Evansville had its top performance of the year from the free throw line, hitting 26 out of 28.  The Aces shot 49% for the game while holding A&T to 42.9%.  Defense was also a key in the game as UE forced 24 turnovers and converted them into 38 points.
 
Adrian Powell was the top scorer for the Aggies, finishing with 15 points on a perfect 6-for-6 effort from the floor.  Marc Hill had 12 points.
 
Evansville will have seven days off before returning to action on December 17 as Tennessee Tech makes its first appearance at the Ford Center.  Tip will take place at 1:05 p.m.  The Aces will wrap up the pre-Christmas schedule with a trip to Miami (Ohio) on December 20.  Following the holiday, UE will open up MVC play at home against Southern Illinois on the 29th.