GAME INFORMATION
Final Score: Evansville 74, Loyola 66
Records: Evansville (17-3, 6-1 MVC); Loyola (8-11, 1-6)
Location: Ford Center -- Evansville, Ind.
Attendance: 4,014
Stats: Box Score | Season Stats

In Short...
Host Evansville used a 14-0 run that bridged the two halves to turn a two-point lead into a 16-point bulge in a 74-66 win over Loyola tonight at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.

Evansville scored 10 straight points to turn a 17-17 tie into a 27-17 lead before the Ramblers rattled off eight straight, six from Milton Doyle to close within two, but the Aces scored the final six points of the first half and the first eight of the second period to open up a commanding 43-27 lead just over three minutes into the half.

Loyola tried to cut into the deficit but an efficient Evansville offense had an answer each time and LU's last run, which saw them get as close as six in the final minute, proved to be too little, too late.

Loyola shot 50% in the second half to finish at 44% for the game but the Aces were clicking on all cylinders, shooting 57% from the floor while knocking down 17-of-20 (85%) from the free throw line.

Tyson Smith led Loyola with a season-high 15 points and he was joined in double figures by Doyle (14 points, 7-11 FGs) and Donte Ingram, who scored a season-high 13 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Egidijus Mockevicius led Evansville with 23 points and 20 rebounds while D.J. Balentine added 22 points.

How It Happened
+ Balentine, who is 9th all-time on the MVC scoring list, scored Evansville's seven points while Loyola's first four baskets came from four different players
+ Evansville scored six straight points to take a 15-10 lead but a Smith three-pointer and Doyle basket quickly pulled LU even at 15
+ Balentine scored four points in the 10-0 run that made it a 27-17 game but Doyle scored six quick points and Ingram scored on an offensive rebound to make it 29-27 with just over a minute left in the half
+ The Aces scored the last six points of the half, the last three coming on an Adam Wing three-pointer at the buzzer, to go into the locker room with a 35-27 lead
+ Loyola missed its first four shots of the second half - including a dunk and a point-blank layup - and turned it over three times as Evansville opened up a 16-point advantage
+ The teams, essentially, traded baskets through the middle part of the half, with the Ramblers unable to make a dent in the deficit until a Montel James three-point play made it a 12-point game (60-48) with 4:42 left
+ Evansville built the lead back to 16 before a furious push at the end, led by Ingram, saw LU get within six before two Balentine free throws accounted for the final score

The Turning Point
In the midst of an 8-0 run late in the first half that pulled the Ramblers within two, a Tyson Smith steal led to a transition opportunity for Doyle, who was whistled for an offensive foul. Not only was it his third personal foul, but the Loyola bench was also called for a technical foul and Evansville scored the final six points of the half to take an eight-point lead into halftime.

Inside The Box Score
+ After sparking Loyola's second-half turnaround at UNI, Smith had another solid night, leading the Ramblers with a season-high 15 points while adding four assists and two steals
+ Despite playing only 21 minutes due to foul trouble, Doyle finished 7-of-11 from the field for his 14 points
+ However, he did not attempt a single free throw, and Evansville enjoyed a 20-9 advantage in free throw attempts for the night
+ Ingram's 13 points are a season-high and one shy of his career-best set last season against Tulane
+ He spurred Loyola's late comeback, scoring 11 of his 13 in the final 1:17, knocking down a pair of three-pointers in addition to a traditional three-point play
+ After allowing just one of its last four opponents to shoot over 40%, Loyola saw Evansville shoot 57% tonight, the third-best mark by an opponent this season (New Mexico, Notre Dame)
+ Loyola's 36 points in the paint tied its season-high against Division I opponents (Missouri State) but it allowed 40 such points, the second-highest total by an opponent this season, two behind New Mexico's 42 paint points

Next Up
The Ramblers play host to Drake on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 23). Tip from Gentile Arena is scheduled for 1 p.m. with the game televised over CSN Chicago with Jordan Bernfield and Jeff Dickerson on the call.