Balentine, Evansville top IUPUI 82-78

Nov 13, 2013, 12:02 am

INDIANAPOLIS -- D.J. Balentine scored 29 points for the second-straight game to lead Evansville over IUPUI 82-78 on Tuesday night.

Evansville (2-0) started a 7-0 run on two of Balentine's free throws with 3:26 left to break a 69-all tie and take the lead for good. Donovan Gibbs closed the lead to 76-72 with a layup at the 1:06 mark but the Aces hit all eight free throws in the final 40 seconds to seal the win.

Evansville was 28 of 31 from the charity stripe. Balentine hit all 12 of his free throws and his 29 points tied the career high he set on Nov. 9 in the season-opener against Martin Methodist.

Ian Chiles had 28 points, five rebounds, four 3-pointers and three assists for IUPUI (0-2).

The win was Evansville's first in a road-opener since 1999 and the loss was IUPUI's first in a home opener since the same year.