FINAL STATS
EVANSVILLE, Ind. --  Missouri State erased a 14-point deficit early in the second half, but faded down the stretch thanks to timely free throw shooting by home standing Evansville in a 77-65 Missouri Valley Conference loss at historic Roberts Stadium.
 The Bears used an 18-1 run early in the final stanza to climb ahead 50-47 on a three-pointer by Nathan Scheer at the 13:20 mark. The run wiped away a 42-32 halftime deficit that Evansville extended to 46-32 with two quick buckets to start the second half.
With just under 12 minutes to play, the Bears continued to step up the defensive pressure on the Aces, but Troy Taylor banked in a desperation three-pointer as the shot clock expired to hand the lead back to the home club 54-52, and MSU would never lead again.
 Caleb Patterson’s put-back with just over 10 minutes remaining brought the Bears back within two, but it would be the last field goal by Missouri State for the next seven minutes.
 Even when the scoring dried up, Missouri State stayed within striking distance thanks to solid defensive pressure. Jermaine Mallett’s three-pointer with 2:47 left on the clock brought the Bears back within 67-61, but UE got the got the calls and made eight free throws in the final 1:39 to take the win.
 The Purple Aces made 16-of-22 charity shots in the second half and finished the game with 20 charity shots and 42 more points in the paint against a larger MSU squad.
 Five Evansville players scored in double figures, including Taylor who came off the bench for a team-high 12 on a 5-for-5 shooting effort while Denver Holmes scored 11.
 MSU out-rebounded Evansville 28-25 and finished 20-of-48 (.417) from the field, but just 35 percent in the second half. After knocking down four three-pointers in the opening seven minutes of the second half, Missouri State hit just one the rest of the way to finish 9-for-28. The team’s 28 attempts from beyond the arc was a season high.
 Kyle Weems and Jermaine Mallett scored 16 points apiece for MSU with Weems adding a game-high 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the year. Ricks scored 12, and Will Creekmore added 10 as MSU dropped its second straight league game to fall from first place for the first time this season.
 Evansville won its fourth straight league game.
MSU returns to JQH Arena on Saturday for a 2:05 p.m. tip against Indiana State.
