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Evansville beats Indiana State in MVC opener 70-62

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) D.J. Balentine and Egidijus Mockevicius scored 22 points each to lead Evansville to a 70-62 victory over Indiana State in a Missouri Valley Conference opener Wednesday night.

Balentine scored 17 points in the second half to rally the Purple Aces (12-2) from an eight-point halftime deficit.

Mockevicius, the nation's leading rebounder at 13.8 per game, grabbed 16 boards for his 12th double-double this season.

Evansville (12-2) won its fifth straight in snapping the Sycamores' (6-7) three-game win streak.

Ballentine scored 11 points in a 13-2 run, including consecutive 3-pointers, to put the Aces ahead 59-50 with 2:29 remaining. After a Sycamores basket, Mockevicius made three free throws and Jaylon Brown a layup with a minute left for a 12-point lead.

The Aces scored the first nine points of the second half. The lead then changed hands three times before Evansville's decisive run.

Brenton Scott scored 13 points to lead Indiana State.

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