Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
ST. LOUIS -- The Indiana State Basketball team saw their run at the 2016 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament come to an end at the hands of hot-shooting Evansville, 68--42, in Saturday's second semifinal game at the Scottrade Center.
The Sycamores dropped to 15-17 overall after earning the sixth seed in this weekend's tournament and opening play on Friday night with a 65-57 win over three seed Illinois State. Evansville improves to 25-8 after finishing second in the league with a 12-6 mark.
Devonte Brown led the way with 15 points and went 5-of-7 from the free throw line. Brown moved into a tie for second place on the ISU career chart for free throws made in a season with 197. He equaled Jerry Newsom who had 197 charity tosses from back in the 1967-68 campaign. Only Larry Bird's 221 free throws during the 1978-79 season are ahead of Brown's performance this year. Brown's 260 free throws attempted this year are the third-most for one season at ISU.
In 130 career games, senior Khristian Smith tallied 1,172 points, good enough for 24th-best all-time. Brown also played in 130 career games and amassed 1,170 career points, good enough for 25th-best all-time at ISU.
The Sycamores made their fourth trip to the MVC semifinals under sixth-year head coach Greg Lansing. No other coach has led the Sycamores to as many trips to the Valley Tournament's penultimate game as has Lansing.
Evansville scored the first five points of the game, but Brandon Murphy hit a hook shot inside at the 18:37 mark to trim the Purple Aces lead to 5-2. Adam Wing stretched the lead before Khristian Smith answered with a floater in the lane as Evansville led 8-4 early. Brenton Scott hit a jumper in transition as the clock passed the 15 minute mark to draw the Sycamores within 13-8.
Matt Van Scyoc hit a wide open 3-pointer at the top of the key at the 11:23 mark to draw within 17-11 after the Purple Aces lead had swelled to nine points. Clemons tacked on two more from the free throw line to cut the margin to just four. Blake Simmons responded with a 3-pointer as the clock neared the 10 minute mark and Evansville owned a 20-13 advantage.
Brown drove to the lane for a lay-up after a long jumper by Balentine which trimmed the Sycamore deficit to 33-20 with 4:01 remaining. The Sycamores would get a pair of Brown free throws in the final minute as went into double figures scoring with 10 points to lead the team. Evansville led 37-22 at the break.
Devonte Brown notched a third-chance bucket just before the 17 minute mark which trimmed the Evansville lead down to 41-24. But Jaylon Brown buried a jumper for the Purple Aces to restore a 19-point lead. Scott found Brown down low at the 15:25 mark to get within 46-28. Scott converted a lay-up with just under 13 minutes remaining to cut the margin to 53-30.
Evansville was led by 14 points from senior D.J. Balentine. The Purple Aces will face Northern Iowa on Sunday afternoon in the 2016 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game.
