Nov. 18, 2006

Final Stats

Contact: Brian McCann

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - After shooting almost fifty percent from the field in its first three games, a cold-shooting night finally hit the Vikings on Saturday (Nov. 18) as CSU went 9:28 without a point in the first half in a 63-49 loss to host Evansville on the second day of the America's Youth Classic.

J'Nathan Bullock and Carlos English led CSU with 10 points each with Bullock, who played just 20 minutes because of early foul trouble, adding a CSU-high nine rebounds. Bradley Strickland led Evansville with 17 points and 10 rebounds with Matt Webster adding 15 points, including an 11-for-12 effort from the foul line.

The Vikings turned in one of their best defensive efforts of the young season, but it was at CSU's offensive end of the court where the game was decided.

CSU shot a season-low .310 from the field (18-58), including just four-for-25 from three-point (.160). The worst of it came in the first half when the Vikings shot .235 from the field (8-34) and .133 from three-point (2-15).

The drought came after freshman Joe Davis went coast-to-coast for an easy basket to trim the Purple Ace lead to 21-16 with 9:33 left. CSU would not score again until Davis buried a short jumper with just five seconds remained in the first stanza to send the Vikings to the intermission trailing 34-18.

"I thought we played good enough to win defensively tonight," head coach Gary Waters said. "We limited Evansville to 42-percent shooting and just 63 points. Unfortunately, we struggled to make open shots, got behind and it is hard to play catch-up.

"Despite the loss, I think that we are continuing to grow as a team and learn what we need to do to be successful. I knew that the first 10 games of the season would be difficult for us, but I know that those games will make us better once we start conference play."

The Vikings never got their offense started in the first half as Evansville jumped out to an 16-4 lead just 6:10 left in the half. Davis, who scored all nine of his points in the first half, keyed the CSU comeback to within 21-16 but the Purple Aces rattled off 13 straight points before Davis scored in the waning seconds of the half.

A 7-0 Evansville run to open the second half extended the lead to 21 (41-20) and it was all uphill for the Vikings as the Purple Aces used a patient offense to hold off each CSU comeback.

The best chance to get back into came at the 8:21 mark when Bullock scored in the lane to close CSU to within 52-40, but Evansville scored the next seven points - five of which came at the foul line - to put the contest away.

Evansville enjoyed a sizeable advantage at the line, making 22-of-28 free throws (.786) while CSU could mange just 12 free throw attempts in the game (making nine).

Bullock played well despite seeing limited first half action. He went to the bench after picking up two fouls in the first 3:40 of the game and then picked up his third late in the half when Waters inserted him into the game in hopes of ending the scoring drought.

The Vikings did have their strengths in the contest, committing just 11 turnovers in the contest while being out-rebounded by the much bigger Purple Aces by just two (36-34).

The Vikings finish play in the America's Youth Classic on Sunday when they face Miami (Fla.) beginning at 2:00 p.m. The contest can be heard live on WKNR, 850-AM.