INDIANAPOLIS - Despite a strong defensive effort, the IUPUI basketball team fell victim to some cold shooting of its own as the Jaguars dropped a non-conference contest to Evansville inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum, 70-64. Marcus Burk and Jaylen Minnett led IUPUI with 18 points each and junior Isaiah Williams chipped in with a career-high 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the loss. 

DeAndre Williams shouldered the load for Evansville (5-3), pumping in 20 points, 15 rebounds and five assists off the Purple Aces' bench, including a bevy of key plays down the stretch. Evansville closed the game with a 15-5 run while holding IUPUI to just two field goals in the final seven minutes of the contest. 

Williams helped IUPUI (2-6) build a 59-55 lead with 6:35 remaining as he split a pair of free throws, which was a common theme for the Jaguars. UE's Williams followed with a jumper of his own and then hit a pair of freebies to tie the score at 59 all with 5:52 left. 

Artur Labinowicz put the Aces ahead for good when he swished a pair of foul shots after drawing a foul on a hard drive from the left wing. After IUPUI came up empty on consecutive trips, Williams hit Evan Kuhlman for an uncontested layup to give the Aces a 63-59 lead with 2:45 left. The lead grew to seven when Labinowicz completed a three-point play with 1:55 left. 

IUPUI got back within five after Elyjah Goss got free for a two-handed dunk, but Evansville essentially closed out the Jags from there. 

"They took Burk out of the picture and we didn't do a good of getting him into the right spots. There were times during the second half where we didn't initiate our offense and we kind of played panicked and played hero ball at times. We didn't do a very good job of getting the ball to the right people and we didn't do a very good job of setting screens to get guys open," head coach Byron Rimm II said. "I think (Evansville) gave us a little confidence in that we can play some of the best teams in the country. 

"That's a team that just beat Kentucky at Kentucky and we let it slip away and I didn't think we played very well in the second half."

Burk, who came in ranked No. 7 nationally in points per game at nearly 24 a night, was held to just four points and 2-of-8 shooting after halftime in his 18-point performance. Minnett scored 13 of his season-high 18 point in the second half. 

IUPUI closed the first half with a 7-0 run to take a 37-27 lead into halftime. Burk began the run with a pair of free throws and Grant Weatherford extended the rally with a tough drive in traffic. Minnett closed the first half with a long three, which sparked him going into the second half. 

With the UE defense loaded up to slow Burk, Minnett connected on back-to-back contested treys early in the second half and then fed Burk to build a 47-35 lead at the 16:29 mark. Later, Evansville hit three straight threes, including back-to-back connections from Noah Frederking to turn the Jaguars' 52-44 lead into a 53-52 deficit. 

Both teams finished the game shooting under 40 percent from the floor and both struggled from the arc as Evansville hit just 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) and the Jags made just 5-of-18 attempts (27.8 percent). However, IUPUI left 11 key points at the free throw line, making 13-of-24 attempts (54.2 percent). 

The teams combined to commit just 15 turnovers and score a combined 16 points off turnovers. 

Goss just missed a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds and Weatherford finished with four points and six rebounds. Labinowicz had nine points and six boards for Evansville and Frederking and K.J. Riley closed with eight each. 

The loss dropped IUPUI to 0-4 all-time against the Purple Aces. The Jags will be back in action on Wednesday night (Dec. 4) when they travel south to face Morehead State at 7:00 p.m. in a game that will be aired on ESPN+.