Game Notes

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville men’s basketball team will look to put an end to a three-game slide when it plays host to Drake University on Friday evening at the Ford Center.
 
Evansville fell for the third-straight contest, coming out on the losing end of an 80-78 decision on Tuesday evening at Indiana State.  After facing a deficit of as many as 11 points with just over five minutes remaining, the Aces got back within just a point in the final ten seconds before a buzzer-beating three fell short.  Ned Cox led all players with 22 points.  Cox was one of four UE players in double figures.
 
Since beginning Missouri Valley play by winning its first two games, the Purple Aces have lost three-consecutive heartbreakers by a combined five points.  After a 1-points loss at home to Wichita State, Evansville led Illinois State with just under three seconds remaining before a three by Jackie Carmichael proved to be the winner.  Against Indiana State, UE cut into a late 11-point deficit before a potential game-winning shot fell short.  On the season, UE has lost six games by a combined 13 points.
 
Junior Troy Taylor has the ability to impact his team in several ways and that was shown by his performance at Indiana State.  The Anderson, Ind. native notched his second double-double of the season and fell just short of a triple double after posting 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.  Taylor is tied for the team lead with 44 assists and is third in steals and rebounds.
 
Colt Ryan has been an unstoppable force in MVC playing, leading all players through five games with 25.4 PPG.  The junior scored 25 points or more in each of the first four games before settling for 17 in the road contest at Indiana State.  Ryan has continued to climb the all-time UE scoring list and enters tonight’s game just 12 points behind current head coach Marty Simmons for 24th on the list.  Simmons scored 1,265 points in just two seasons with the Aces.
 
Drake improved its record to 9-7 and 2-3 in league play with an 82-74 home win over Bradley on Tuesday evening.  In November, Drake defeated in-state rival Iowa State at home by a 74-65 final.  Rayvonte Rice leads them in scoring with 18.1 points per game while Ben Simons has averaged 15.3.  In the win over Bradley, four players reached double figures, led by Simons, who scored 21.  Rice finished the night with 19. 
 
In a pair of meetings last season, the home team won each time with Evansville taking a 67-51 win at Roberts Stadium before Drake picked up an 87-69 victory in Des Moines on February 23.  The UE win saw Ned Cox score a game-high 15 points while Kenneth Harris grabbed 13 rebounds, a total that is still tied for his career best.  Bulldog Ryan Wedel scored 29 points in the second meeting helping Drake to the win.  Colt Ryan countered with 24 of his own for the Aces.
 
Six of Evansville’s eight losses have come by an amazing 13 combined points.  The Aces fell to Wichita State by a point, lost four two-point games (Indiana State, Illinois State, Tennessee Tech and TCU) and fell at UIC by four points.  Four of those contests saw UE hold a lead in the final 1:30 of play.
 
The Aces won three games in a row to end the calendar year and begin 2012 before falling in its last three contests.  So what has been the difference when comparing the streaks?  In the three wins, UE was outscoring the opposition by 10.3 PPG while allowing the opponents to shoot 45.5% from the floor and 66.7% from the free throw line.  The three recent losses have seen the opposition shoot 54.2% from the field and 82.3% at the charity stripe while outscoring the Aces by 1.7 PPG.
 
On Sunday, UE will be back on the road in Springfield, Mo. to take on Missouri State at 2:05 p.m.