Box Score (PDF)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A 13-2 second-half run made the difference as the University of Evansville men's basketball team picked up a 69-56 victory over Morehead State on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center.
 
Jaylon Brown led the way with a career-high 25 points.  After matching his career tally of 19 in the first two games of the year, Brown reached the 20-point plateau for the first time.  He was joined in double figures by Ryan Taylor, who connected on three triples.
 
"Overall, we just stuck with it and every guy did their part.  Dalen gave us some huge minutes and when some of the other guys came in, we really started to make plays," Brown said.  "I try to be as unselfish as possible and do not make it about myself, but when I shoot a lot, I am just trying to do my part."
 
The Aces (2-1) got some great minutes out of the center position as Dalen Traore scored nine points while David Howard checked in with seven.  Sergej Vucetic has four points in seven minutes.
 
"Coach Simmons told us how good these guys were all week and our goal was to come out and play at our best," Traore said.  "Everybody did something good."
 
Morehead State (2-2) was led by a 14-point outing from Xavier Moon.  Ty'Quan Bitting and Treshaad Williams scored 11 and 10, respectively.
 
In the first half the lead changed hands seven times to along with four ties.  Neither team would lead by more than a possession until the final two minutes of the half.  Up 30-27 with 2:15 left in the period, the Aces would extend the lead to six on an and-one from Jaylon Brown saw that lead extend to 33-27.
 
Morehead State registered the final bucket of the half to make it a 33-29 game at the break.  Jaylon Brown had a stellar half, notching ten points while Treshaad Williams paced the Eagles with 10 of his own.  Coming in off the bench, Dalen Traore had six points in the frame.
 
Out of the break, Morehead State hit a pair of triples to retake the lead at 35-33.  Just as the opening moments of the first half were, the lead would go back and forth.  A Ryan Taylor jumper put UE back up 38-36 before the third trey of the half for the Eagles gave them the advantage with 13:26 remaining in the contest.
 
With under 12 minutes to go, Ryan Taylor struck again and the Aces were off to the races.  His trey gave UE a 46-45.  That was part of a 13-2 stretch that began with the Aces trailing by a score of 45-41 before another Taylor triple capped it off at 54-47.  The final of 69-56 was the largest advantage held by either team in the contest.
 
Evansville shot an unbelievable 61.9% in the game and was even better in the second half, hitting 15 out of 19 attempts – 78.9%.  The Eagles finished the day at 42.9%.  UE also finished with a 31-24 advantage on the boards as Christian Benzon was the top rebounded with six.
 
The Aces will be in action next weekend at the Challenge in Music City in Nashville.  Playing Friday through Sunday, UE will take on Toledo, UNC Wilmington and Middle Tennessee State.
 

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