Box Score
EVANSVILLE, Ind.  – Evansville hit several clutch shots on Wednesday night including four as time expired on the shot clock that proved valuable in a 68-65 win over Eastern Illinois at the Ford Center.
EIU fell to 2-4 on the year while Evansville improved to 1-3 snapping a 22-game losing streak.
Evansville took advantage of some timely shooting in the first half as the Purple Aces sank two 3-pointers as the shot clock expired including one by Evan Kulhman that capped a 9-0 run.
Evansville extended its lead to 21-8 before
Josiah Wallace snapped the run. Kuhlman led Evansville with 12 points in the first half, finishing the game with 15. Evansville led 34-19 at the half.
EIU shot just 33 percent in the first half with
Marvin Johnson leading the offense with five first half points.Â
Mack Smith sank a 3-pointer four minutes into the contest to extend his consecutive games streak with a made 3-pointer to 87 straight. He can tie the NCAA Division I record on Saturday afternoon when the Panthers host Western Illinois at 4 p.m. on ESPN+.
The Panthers warmed up in the second half knocking down their first six shots from the floor as an 8-0 run closed the gap to 39-34 with 15:54 to play. Johnson hit a jumper to cap the run as he was one of two EIU players to finish with 17 points.   Wallace was the other as he hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the EIU run.
For every EIU run, Evansville was able to provide an answer with Jax Levitch hitting one shot as the shot clock expired and Noah Frederking sinking another. Â Levitch (11 pts) and Frederking (11 pts) were two of five Purple Aces in double figures led by Jawaun Newton's 19 points, including a 11-of-12 effort at the foul line.
Smith drained a 3-pointer with 11:26 to play to make it 46-42 and
Kashawn Charles 3-pointer with 7:25 tied the contest at 50-50. A Levitch 3-pointer put Evansville back in front as the Panthers could never take a second half lead.   Johnson's bucket with 1:10 to play brought EIU to within 62-60 and EIU had a potential game tying shot fall short as time expired.
Smith added 12 points for the Panthers on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.