Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State trailed by seven points with four minutes remaining in regulation, but the Sycamores were able to score nine of the final 11 points to force overtime and came out on top, 79-75, over visiting Evansville inside Hulman Center.
The Sycamores improved to 6-8, 2-0 MVC while Evansville fell to 11-3, 1-1 MVC. Indiana State is 2-0 in MVC play for the third consecutive season and have won four in a row over Evansville as well as four in a row at home against the Purple Aces. The Sycamores now own 87 all-time wins over Evansville. Indiana State is now 2-1 this season in overtime games.
It was all made possible by the second double-double of the season by senior Jake Kitchell. He scored a career-high 21 points to go with 11 rebounds in the winning effort. Kitchell hit 8-of-13 shots from the field, including a 3-pointer and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Also tallying a career-high was redshirt freshman Alex Etherington who posted 13 points. Etherington was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and 3-of-3 from behind the arc.
Tre' Bennett scored 15 points as he was 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Brenton Scott posted 13 points and three assists as well.
The Sycamores were 27-of-56 from the field (48.2 percent) while Evansville countered with a 28-of-58 mark (48.3 percent). ISU hit seven 3-pointers and were 18-of-24 from the free throw line (75 percent). The rebounding battle was a dead heat at 33. Indiana State posted 20 assists against 13 turnovers while the Purple Aces dished out 17 assists and had 13 miscues. For the second consecutive game, the Sycamores made the most of their opportunities as they had an 18-7 edge in points off turnovers.
Indiana State's bench came up with 30 points in the win.
Defense was at a premium in the extra period as Evansville missed all three of their field goal attempts and scored all five points at the charity stripe. ISU hit two field goals to go with their five free throws to provide the winning four-point margin.
Tied at 70 in overtime, Jaylon Brown hit 1-of-2 free throws to put Evansville up by a point. The Sycamores missed two free throws and Kitchell got the rebound before Egidijus Mockevicius committed his fifth foul and had to leave the game with his 13 points and 14 rebounds. Kitchell hit both free throws to put ISU ahead 72-71. D.J. Ballentine and Blake Simmons paired up to go 4-of-4 from the charity stripe to put Evansville ahead 75-72 with 2:35 on the clock. The Purple Aces would not score again.
Kitchell kept a missed lay-up alive until Devonte Brown came in with the putback that fell to get ISU within 75-74. After Ballentine missed a 3-pointer, Brenton Scott grabbed a rebound and was fouled. He hit a free throw to level the score at 75 with 1:44 to go. Kitchell was then whistled for a foul on defense and Jaylon Moore missed both free throws with 1:31 on the clock, before Kitchell grabbed the rebound.
After a Sycamore turnover, Brown came up with a big steal of Ballentine and found Scott at the basket for a fast break field goal with 36 seconds remaining to stake Indiana State to a 77-75 advantage. After an Evansville miss, the Purple Aces were awarded the ball and Moore was fouled again where he missed both charity tosses again with nine seconds on the clock.
Brown grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He went to line with eight seconds showing and hit them both for a four point cushion. The defense held and the buzzer then sounded on a big 79-75 overtime victory for the Sycamores.
The entire second half was nip and tuck until Evansville used a quick 5-0 run around the four minute mark to take a 68-61 lead. Gant answered back first with a jumper in the paint to get ISU within five. After Kitchell grabbed a rebound and was fouled, he hit both free throws with 2:52 remaining to make it 68-65.
Evansville countered with a Duane Gibson field goal with 2:38 to go but Scott answered with a 3-pointer and ISU cut the Purple Aces lead down to just 70-68 with a few ticks over two minutes remaining. With 1:38 left in regulation, Kitchell was able to tip-in his own miss to even the score at 70.
The two teams matched each other's defensive stops from there on out. Indiana State had a chance to win it in regulation but Smith's jumper in the corner was blocked and Ballentine's half court heave was off the mark to send the Sycamores to their third overtime game of the season.
Evansville scored the first four points of the game before Scott hit a jumper just over two minutes in to get ISU within two points. The two teams traded punches and the Sycamore defense held the Purple Aces scoreless in the final three minutes and 50 seconds before halftime. After Mockevicius hit a jumper to put Evansville up a point at 30-29, Kitchell hit a jumper of his own with 1:08 on the clock to give ISU a 31-30 halftime advantage.
The Purple Aces put four in double figures scoring, including Mislav Brzoja and his 17 points with a trio of 3-pointers.
Indiana State stays at home on Wednesday, January 7 when they host Missouri State inside Hulman Center. The game is set for 7:07 p.m. (ET) tip-off and will be televised nationally on ESPN3 as part of the MVC TV Network.
