Box Score (PDF)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Just five days after breaking the all-time University of Evansville scoring mark, D.J. Balentine scored 19 points, but Illinois State was able to hang on for a 70-60 win over the Purple Aces men's basketball team on Thursday evening at the Ford Center.
 
Balentine hit six shots and notched four rebounds for UE (19-7, 8-5 MVC) while Egidijus Mockevicius posted another double-double with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.  Adam Wing also finished in double figures with 11.
 
Illinois State (15-11, 9-4 MVC) was led by an 18-point game from Nick Banyard. 
 
Evansville had the hot hand in the early going as D.J. Balentine knocked down a triple to give the Aces an 8-3 lead in the opening five minutes.  Illinois State fought back with a 6-0 run to take their first lead of the night at 9-8 and stretched it out to four for the first time at 19-15.
 
A half that featured eight lead changes saw UE roar back to retake the lead with 4:12 remaining on a Jaylon Brown layup.  A dunk by Mockevicius in the final minute put the Aces up four before they headed to the locker room up 30-29. 
 
Illinois State scored 10 of the first 12 points of the second half to open up their largest advantage at 39-32.  An and-one by Balentine helped UE get back within two at 39-37, but the Redbirds scored five in a row to go up 44-37.  Their defense held UE to 2-of-11 shooting while forcing four turnovers in the stretch.  Balentine notched another old-fashioned 3-point play to end the drought.
 
Over the final minutes, the Redbirds added to their lead, going up by 13 with 6:36 to play.  Evansville made it interesting in the final minute, getting within six, but ISU held on for the 10-point win.
 
Next up for the Aces is a trip to Chicago where they will face off against Loyola.  Game time is 3 p.m. on Sunday in a contest that will be televised on ESPNU.
 

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