Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Junior Colt Ryan scored 31 points, but it was not enough as TCU grabbed a 70-68 overtime win against the University of Evansville men’s basketball team on Saturday at the Ford Center.
 
Ryan led all players with 31 points.  He hit 7-of-17 shots while hitting 14 out of 16 free throws.  He was the only UE (3-3) player in double figures.  TCU (6-2) was led by a 21-point game from Hank Thorns.
 
A defensive struggle ensued in the first half as the teams combined to connect on just 15 field goals as the Horned Frogs took a 25-21 lead into halftime.  Ryan helped UE gain an early 8-4 lead after opening up the scoring with a trey just over a minute in.  TCU scored five points in a row, including a three courtesy of Connell Crossland, to go back on top.
 
In a half that featured eight lead changes, the Aces jumped back on top with a 5-0 run when the score was tied at 13.  A pair of Denver Holmes free throws followed by another Ryan three-pointer saw UE go up 18-13 with 8:20 left in the half.
 
The TCU defense clamped down at that point, holding UE to just three more points in the half while they rallied to take a 25-21 advantage.  Evansville missed their final ten shots of the stanza while committing three turnovers in the final eight minutes.  UE shot just 22.7% in the period (5-15) while the Horned Frogs were 10-of-24.  J.R. Cadot was a perfect 3-3 from the floor in the half to lead the Horned Frogs with six points.  Helping the Aces stay in the game was their defense as they forced TCU into 10 first-half turnovers.
 
Three early turnovers in the second half saw TCU extend its lead to nine points with 16 minutes left in the game.  Cadot scored five early points to assist in the run.  Troy Taylor hit a jumper with 16:52 remaining marking the first UE basket in over 11 minutes of action, but two turnovers led to four Horned Frog points as they took a 34-25 lead.
 
Down 34-28, the Aces put together a quick 5-0 spurt to get within four points.  After Kenneth Harris hit a layup, Colt Ryan knocked down his third trey of the game to cut into the deficit.  Another Ryan shot, followed by the ensuing free throw cut the game to one before an Adrick McKinney bucket ended the streak.
 
Evansville fought back with another run as Ryan Sawvell knocked down a basket and, following two missed free throws by TCU, Ned Cox scored his first points of the game to give UE a 40-39 lead.
 
An interesting final six minutes would later ensue.  A barrage of free throws saw the lead switch hands.  TCU held a 49-48 lead with six minutes left, but six straight free throws from Ryan game UE a 5-point advantage.  A quick spurt by the Horned Frogs saw them hit four free throws in a row following a pair of UE fouls. 
 
With the game tied at 59-59 in the final minutes, Ned Cox hit a layup and free throw to put the Aces up by three with 34 seconds left.  Hank Thorns came right back, knocking down a three of his own to tie the game.  Cox missed a pair of shots in the final seconds as the game went to overtime.
 
The extra period saw TCU score the first two points before UE notched four in a row to go up 64-62.  With the Aces clinging to a 68-66 lead with a minute remaining, Thorns struck again with a bucket to tie it up.  Following a missed UE shot, Thorns slashed though the paint to score what would be the winning shot with two seconds remaining.
 
One of the main factors in the contest was rebounding as TCU finished with a 41-27 lead.  After a slow shooting first half, both teams shot over 50% in the second period. 
 
Ryan was the leading scorer and rebounder for UE.  Troy Taylor and Denver Holmes each scored eight.  Three TCU players were in double figures, led by Thorns’ 21-point effort.  J.R. Cadot had 13 while Amric Fields notched 12.
 
A trip to North Carolina is next up for the Aces as they will be in Chapel Hill on Tuesday.  ESPNU will carry the game, which is set for a 6 p.m. CT tip.