ISU Sycamores cruise past Evansville Purple Aces, 72-52

TERRE HAUTE, IN (12-31-2003) - The Indiana State men’s basketball team opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a 72-52 victory over Evansville on Wednesday (Dec. 31) at Hulman Center. ISU used a balanced offensive attack, as four players scored in double figures, the first time this season that has happed for the Trees.

The Sycamores’ (5-4, 1-0 MVC) first six field goals came from beyond the tree-point arc as they surged ahead 19-9 midway through the first half. With ISU ahead 36-18, the Trees scored on a layups from Tyson Schnitker (Robinson, Ill.) and Marcus Howard (Elgin, Ill.) in the final minute to carry a 40-18 lead into halftime.

Indiana State led by 28 on three occasions in the second half, as Evansville would draw no closer than 20 points in the final stanza. ISU shot .426 (23-of-54) from the floor, while the Purple Aces (1-8, 0-1 MVC) finished 20-of-45 (.444).

Jerod Adler (Monroe, Ind./Adams Central HS) paced the Sycamores with a career-high 13 points off the bench. Amani Daanish (Los Angeles, Calif./Cowley CC) also scored 13 points for the Trees, while Schnitker added eleven. Five Sycamores shared top rebounding honors with four boards, apiece.

Justin Petty and Lucious Wagner led the Purple Aces with seven points. Petty tallied a game-high ten rebounds. UE outscored the Sycamores 24-16 in the paint, but ISU was able to record 23 points off turnovers, while the Purple Aces scored just seven points off ten Sycamore turnovers.

ISU returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 3) when the Sycamores travel to Peoria, Ill., to face the Bradley Braves. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m., CST. The entire Sycamores' 2003-2004 men's basketball season will be carried live via Internet Audio streaming on USA-365.com. Brian Fritz calls the play-by-play and Jim Waugh provides the color commentary. Saturday's pregame show starts at 6:40 p.m. and the tip-off is at 7:05 p.m., CST / 8:05 p.m., EST.

Box Score