Game Notes

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville basketball team looks to improve to 4-1 on the road this season as the team travels to Springfield, Mo. to take on Missouri State on Wednesday evening at 7:05 p.m.
 
Despite foul trouble and facing a lineup that Bradley had not seen together all season, the Purple Aces held on for a 66-56 road win over the Braves on Saturday.  Three of UE's five starters had four personal fouls in the second half, but some clutch shooting saw the Aces take their largest lead in the final minutes. 
 
D.J. Balentine was the leading scorer once again, posting 22 points while Egidijus Mockevicius had 14 points and 14 rebounds, notching his 12th double-double of the season.  Evansville won for just the fourth time in 22 trips to Carver Arena.  With the 12-4 start, head coach Marty Simmons now has his top start as the head coach of the Aces and is tied for fourth in victories for the program with Dick Walters, each currently have 114.
 
Mockevicius is on pace to do something not seen in the NCAA since the 2006-07 season.  He is averaging 10.5 rebounds per game while shooting 80% from the free throw line.  The last time that was done came in the 2006-07 season when Kevin Durant of the Texas Longhorns (and currently the Oklahoma City Thunder) finished with 11.1 rebounds and hit 81.6% of his free throws.  Nick Fazekas of Nevada also did so that season, his total rebounds came in just shy of Durant's final, but he averaged 11.1 boards and was 84.8% from the line.
 
Through four true road games this season, the Aces have gone 3-1 with the lone loss coming in overtime at Indiana State.  This marks just the third 3-1 road start since 1982 and the fifth overall since the 29-0 National Championship Team in 1964-65.  The best road start for UE in the Division I era came in 1998-99 when the Aces were 7-1 in the first eight away from Roberts Stadium.
 
Missouri State enters Wednesday's game with an even mark of 8-8 and 2-2 in league play.  Marcus Marshall paces the Bears with an average of 19.5 points per game; he is second in the MVC in scoring behind Balentine.  Austin Ruder is the #2 scorer for MSU, he averages 8.8 points per game.  Forward Camyn Boone leads the Bears with 5.8 rebounds per game and is the most accurate shooter on their squad at 57.3%.  The Bears are the top free throw shooting team in the Valley, entering the game at 76.6%.
 
Following a trip to Missouri State on Wednesday, the Aces return home next Saturday to face Wichita State at 1 p.m. at the Ford Center.  Tickets are available by calling 812-488-ACES or by visiting the ticket offices at the Carson Center on the UE campus or Ford Center.  Fans can take advantage of a special 4 for $44 ticket deal where you receive a ticket to the game against the Shockers as well as the contests versus Southern Illinois and Indiana State.  The final game of the 4-pack is your choice of any of the February home games (Illinois State, Missouri State, Bradley and Drake).