DEC. 28, 2008
EVANSVILLE, IND. -- Guard Jason Holsinger hit three straight three-point baskets to key a 12-0 run midway through the second half as Evansville spoiled the Missouri Valley Conference opener by Drake with a 76-65 victory Sunday.
Senior guard Josh Young (Lawton, Okla.), enjoying his fourth straight 20-plus scoring game, led Drake with 24 points.
The defending league champion Bulldogs, who opened the MVC season on the road for an unprecendented fourth straight year, got out of the starting gates slow.
Drake shot just 30 percent from the floor in the first half, making nine of 30 shots. But the Bulldogs still managed to go into the locker room at halftime, trailing only 30-26.
Two free throws by Young knotted the score at 41-41 with 11 minutes 36 seconds left in the game.
But the Purple Aces, fueled by Holsinger, reeled off 12 straight points in the next 3 minutes 32 seconds which proved to be the difference in the game.
Drake missed two layups, along with the front end of a bonus free throw situation, during the surge by Evansville
Evansville, improving to 9-0 at home, moved to 9-2 which is the best start at the school since the 1994-95 team also won nine of its first 11.
The Purple Aces fired at a 56.7 percent clip from the floor in the second half making 17 of 30 shots and finished the game at 50.9 percent (28-55).
"Evansville had a good game plan," said Drake coach Mark Phelps. "They played with a lot of movement on offense."
Young, who scored a season-low six points in his last visit to Roberts Stadium, scored 16 points in the second half for Drake.
He added four rebounds, while tying a career high with three steals. Young also moved into No. 18 on the Drake career scoring list with 1,055 points surpassing Bart Friedrick who scored 1,042 from 1985-89.
Sophomore guard Josh Parker (Harvey, Ill.) came off the bench to score 15 points for Drake, while senior forward Jonathan Cox (Barrington, Ill.) netted 12 points.
Evansville outrebounded Drake, 42-29. Cox led Drake with eight rebounds, while collecting a season-high three steals.
Senior forward Brent Heemskerk (Grand Rapids, Mich.) added eight points for his highest point total in the last eight games.
The Bulldogs slipped to 9-4 entering a New Year's Eve home matinee with Missouri State at 2:06 p.m.
