Balentine scores 24 points as Evansville beats Drake 61-52
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) D.J. Balentine poured in 24 points and all five starters scored as Evansville fended off Drake 61-52 on Tuesday night to avoid a season sweep.
Balentine hit half his field goals (8 of 16), added a pair of 3-pointers and sank 6 of 7 from the foul line for the Purple Aces (19-8, 9-6 Missouri Valley Conference).
Jacob Enevold Jensen led Drake (8-19, 5-10) with 12 points and Trevor Berkeley added 10.
Evansville held a 30-23 lead at halftime, but Drake quickly rallied with Jensen and Berkeley each scoring twice in an 8-2 run to trail just 32-31 two-and-a-half minutes into the second half.
Back-to-back baskets by Kory Kuentsling and Jordan Daniels put Drake ahead 39-37 with just under 12 minutes to play.
Adam Wing tied it at 39-39 with a jumper. Wing scored six of his eight points as he and Egidijus Mockevicius combined on a 10-0 run.