DRAKE

EVAN

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Abreu's 19 lead Drake over Evansville 65-61

AP
Feb 26, 2025

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) Daniel Abreu scored 19 points as Drake beat Evansville 65-61 on Wednesday night, clinching the outright Missouri Valley Conference championship for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

Abreu added five rebounds for the Bulldogs (26-3, 16-3 Missouri Valley Conference). Tavion Banks scored 15 points and added five rebounds. Bennett Stirtz had 14 points and shot 5 of 10 from the field, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 3 from the line.

Tayshawn Comer led the Purple Aces (11-19, 8-11) in scoring, finishing with 20 points. Evansville also got 14 points from Tanner Cuff. Gabriel Pozzato also had nine points, six rebounds and four assists.

Drake went into halftime leading 38-27. Abreu scored 11 points in the half. Abreu's layup with 9:04 left in the second half gave Drake the lead for good at 50-49.

NEXT UP

Both teams close out the regular season on Sunday. Drake hosts Missouri State and Evansville plays Illinois State on the road.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

1st Half
DRAKE
Bulldogs
38
EVAN
Aces
27

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Cam Manyawu vs. Connor Turnbull (Tanner Cuff gains possession)
19:33		Tanner Cuff turnover (lost ball) (Isaiah Jackson steals)
19:04		Isaiah Jackson turnover (traveling)
18:42	+2	Connor Turnbull makes two point jump shot	0-2
18:10	+2	Isaiah Jackson makes two point layup (Mitch Mascari assists)	2-2
17:37		Purple Aces turnover (shot clock violation)
17:15		Daniel Abreu misses two point jump shot
17:09		Purple Aces defensive rebound
16:56		Joshua Hughes misses three point jump shot
16:54		Gabriel Pozzato offensive rebound
16:51		Jump ball. Gabriel Pozzato vs. Cam Manyawu (Bulldogs gains possession)
16:51		Gabriel Pozzato turnover (lost ball) (Cam Manyawu steals)
16:29	+2	Isaiah Jackson makes two point jump shot (Daniel Abreu assists)	4-2
16:14		Isaiah Jackson personal foul (Tanner Cuff draws the foul)
16:09		Tayshawn Comer turnover (lost ball) (Mitch Mascari steals)
15:55	+2	Bennett Stirtz makes two point jump shot	6-2
15:39		Gabriel Pozzato misses three point jump shot
15:37		Kael Combs defensive rebound
15:23		Connor Turnbull blocks Tavion Banks's two point layup
15:19		Purple Aces defensive rebound
15:19		TV timeout
14:58		Tayshawn Comer misses two point layup
14:56		Daniel Abreu defensive rebound
14:31	+3	Bennett Stirtz makes three point jump shot (Mitch Mascari assists)	9-2
14:18	+2	Tayshawn Comer makes two point layup (Michael Day assists)	9-4
13:57		Tavion Banks misses two point jump shot
13:55		Kael Combs offensive rebound
13:43		Daniel Abreu misses three point jump shot
13:41		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
13:15		Joshua Hughes misses three point jump shot
13:13		Joshua Hughes offensive rebound
13:03		Tayshawn Comer misses three point jump shot
13:01		Tavion Banks defensive rebound
12:46		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
12:44		Kael Combs offensive rebound
12:33		Tayshawn Comer blocks Mitch Mascari's two point layup
12:31		Mitch Mascari offensive rebound
12:25		Mitch Mascari misses two point jump shot
12:24		Purple Aces defensive rebound
12:24		Joshua Hughes personal foul
12:18		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
12:16		Connor Turnbull defensive rebound
11:51	+3	Connor Turnbull makes three point jump shot (Gabriel Pozzato assists)	9-7
11:26		Bennett Stirtz turnover (bad pass)
11:26		TV timeout
11:14	+2	Connor Turnbull makes two point jump shot (Tayshawn Comer assists)	9-9
10:53		Isaia Howard misses three point jump shot
10:51		Michael Day defensive rebound
10:25		Gabriel Pozzato misses three point jump shot
10:23		Daniel Abreu defensive rebound
9:58	+3	Daniel Abreu makes three point jump shot (Mitch Mascari assists)	12-9
9:31		Joshua Hughes turnover (bad pass) (Cam Manyawu steals)
9:26		Connor Turnbull blocks Cam Manyawu's two point dunk
9:24		Connor Turnbull defensive rebound
9:20		Isaiah Jackson shooting foul (Tayshawn Comer draws the foul)
9:20	+1	Tayshawn Comer makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-10
9:20	+1	Tayshawn Comer makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-11
9:03		Mitch Mascari misses three point jump shot
9:01		Daniel Abreu offensive rebound
8:47		Daniel Abreu misses three point jump shot
8:45		Trent Hundley defensive rebound
8:31		Daniel Abreu shooting foul (Joshua Hughes draws the foul)
8:31	+1	Joshua Hughes makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-12
8:31	+1	Joshua Hughes makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-13
8:11	+2	Bennett Stirtz makes two point jump shot	14-13
7:54	+3	Tayshawn Comer makes three point jump shot	14-16
7:33		Mitch Mascari misses three point jump shot
7:31		Daniel Abreu offensive rebound
7:26		Mitch Mascari misses three point jump shot
7:24		Kael Combs offensive rebound
7:18		Joshua Hughes shooting foul (Tavion Banks draws the foul)
7:18		TV timeout
7:18	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	15-16
7:18	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	16-16
6:58		Connor Turnbull misses two point jump shot
6:56		Tavion Banks defensive rebound
6:41	+2	Tavion Banks makes two point layup (Bennett Stirtz assists)	18-16
6:23		Bennett Stirtz personal foul (Tanner Cuff draws the foul)
6:12	+3	Trent Hundley makes three point jump shot (Tayshawn Comer assists)	18-19
5:54	+2	Isaia Howard makes two point layup (Tavion Banks assists)	20-19
5:40	+2	Tanner Cuff makes two point layup	20-21
5:28		Bennett Stirtz turnover (bad pass) (Tayshawn Comer steals)
5:23		Isaia Howard blocks Tayshawn Comer's two point layup
5:21		Bennett Stirtz defensive rebound
5:16		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
4:51		Gabriel Pozzato shooting foul (Daniel Abreu draws the foul)
4:51	+1	Daniel Abreu makes regular free throw 1 of 2	21-21
4:51	+1	Daniel Abreu makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-21
4:38	+2	Gabriel Pozzato makes two point jump shot (Connor Turnbull assists)	22-23
4:26	+3	Isaia Howard makes three point jump shot (Bennett Stirtz assists)	25-23
4:07		Tanner Cuff misses three point jump shot
4:05		Bennett Stirtz defensive rebound
3:50		Isaia Howard misses two point layup
3:48		Tanner Cuff defensive rebound
3:28		Tayshawn Comer turnover (lost ball)
3:28		TV timeout
3:07	+2	Tavion Banks makes two point layup (Bennett Stirtz assists)	27-23
2:52		Gabriel Pozzato misses three point jump shot
2:50		Isaia Howard defensive rebound
2:42	+3	Daniel Abreu makes three point jump shot (Isaia Howard assists)	30-23
2:11		Trent Hundley misses three point jump shot
2:09		Tavion Banks defensive rebound
1:46		Bennett Stirtz misses two point jump shot
1:44		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
1:35		Daniel Abreu shooting foul (Tayshawn Comer draws the foul)
1:35	+1	Tayshawn Comer makes regular free throw 1 of 2	30-24
1:35	+1	Tayshawn Comer makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-25
1:15	+2	Cam Manyawu makes two point dunk (Bennett Stirtz assists)	32-25
0:55	+2	Joshua Hughes makes two point layup	32-27
0:42	+2	Bennett Stirtz makes two point layup	34-27
0:42		Tayshawn Comer shooting foul (Bennett Stirtz draws the foul)
0:42	+1	Bennett Stirtz makes regular free throw 1 of 1	35-27
0:20		Gabriel Pozzato misses two point jump shot
0:18		Bennett Stirtz defensive rebound
0:01	+3	Daniel Abreu makes three point jump shot (Bennett Stirtz assists)	38-27
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
DRAKE
Bulldogs
27
EVAN
Aces
34

Time		Play	Score
19:45	+2	Joshua Hughes makes two point layup (Tanner Cuff assists)	38-29
19:20		Mitch Mascari misses three point jump shot
19:18		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
18:56	+2	Michael Day makes two point layup (Tanner Cuff assists)	38-31
18:29		Joshua Hughes blocks Isaiah Jackson's two point layup
18:29		Gabriel Pozzato defensive rebound
18:29		Cam Manyawu personal foul
18:15	+2	Tanner Cuff makes two point layup	38-33
17:59		Isaiah Jackson turnover (bad pass) (Gabriel Pozzato steals)
17:50		Gabriel Pozzato turnover (lost ball) (Cam Manyawu steals)
17:34		Cam Manyawu turnover (3-second violation)
17:20	+2	Gabriel Pozzato makes two point layup (Tayshawn Comer assists)	38-35
17:20		Cam Manyawu shooting foul (Gabriel Pozzato draws the foul)
17:20	+1	Gabriel Pozzato makes regular free throw 1 of 1	38-36
17:05		Joshua Hughes shooting foul (Tavion Banks draws the foul)
16:57		Isaia Howard misses three point jump shot
16:55		Gabriel Pozzato defensive rebound
16:32		Tanner Cuff turnover (lost ball) (Daniel Abreu steals)
16:14		Bennett Stirtz turnover (traveling)
16:03		Isaia Howard shooting foul (Gabriel Pozzato draws the foul)
16:03		Gabriel Pozzato misses regular free throw 1 of 3
16:03	+1	Gabriel Pozzato makes regular free throw 2 of 3	38-37
16:03		Gabriel Pozzato misses regular free throw 3 of 3
16:03		Nate Ferguson defensive rebound
15:46		Gui Tesch shooting foul (Isaia Howard draws the foul)
15:46		TV timeout
15:46	+1	Isaia Howard makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-37
15:46	+1	Isaia Howard makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-37
15:29		Tanner Cuff misses two point jump shot
15:27		Bulldogs defensive rebound
15:18		Nate Ferguson misses two point dunk
15:16		Gabriel Pozzato defensive rebound
14:57		Michael Day misses two point jump shot
14:55		Isaia Howard defensive rebound
14:32	+2	Bennett Stirtz makes two point jump shot	42-37
14:21		Bennett Stirtz personal foul (Tayshawn Comer draws the foul)
14:16		Gabriel Pozzato misses two point jump shot
14:14		Bennett Stirtz defensive rebound
14:06		Daniel Abreu misses three point jump shot
14:04		Gabriel Pozzato defensive rebound
13:54		Tayshawn Comer turnover (lost ball) (Mitch Mascari steals)
13:47	+2	Tavion Banks makes two point layup (Bennett Stirtz assists)	44-37
13:33		Michael Day turnover (bad pass) (Bennett Stirtz steals)
13:20		Tavion Banks turnover (bad pass)
13:06	+2	Tayshawn Comer makes two point layup	44-39
12:39		Daniel Abreu misses three point jump shot
12:37		Tayshawn Comer defensive rebound
12:32	+2	Tayshawn Comer makes two point layup	44-41
12:14		Tavion Banks misses two point jump shot
12:12		Tavion Banks offensive rebound
12:09	+2	Tavion Banks makes two point layup	46-41
11:42	+3	Tayshawn Comer makes three point jump shot	46-44
11:22		Tavion Banks misses two point jump shot
11:20		Michael Day defensive rebound
11:04		Isaiah Jackson personal foul (Tayshawn Comer draws the foul)
11:04		TV timeout
10:55		Tanner Cuff turnover (bad pass) (Mitch Mascari steals)
10:29		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
10:27		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
10:10	+2	Tanner Cuff makes two point layup (Gabriel Pozzato assists)	46-46
9:40	+2	Daniel Abreu makes two point jump shot (Bennett Stirtz assists)	48-46
9:38		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
9:38		TV timeout
9:25	+3	Tanner Cuff makes three point jump shot (Gabriel Pozzato assists)	48-49
9:04	+2	Daniel Abreu makes two point layup	50-49
8:39		Tavion Banks personal foul (Joshua Hughes draws the foul)
8:28		Tayshawn Comer misses two point jump shot
8:26		Bennett Stirtz defensive rebound
8:05	+3	Daniel Abreu makes three point jump shot (Isaia Howard assists)	53-49
7:42	+3	Gabriel Pozzato makes three point jump shot (Tanner Cuff assists)	53-52
7:24		Gui Tesch personal foul (Nate Ferguson draws the foul)
7:24		TV timeout
7:13	+2	Isaia Howard makes two point jump shot (Tavion Banks assists)	55-52
6:51		Gabriel Pozzato misses three point jump shot
6:49		Mitch Mascari defensive rebound
6:37		Michael Day blocks Tavion Banks's two point layup
6:35		Purple Aces defensive rebound
6:21		Joshua Hughes misses three point jump shot
6:19		Purple Aces offensive rebound
6:07		Tayshawn Comer misses three point jump shot
6:05		Mitch Mascari defensive rebound
5:49		Michael Day shooting foul (Tavion Banks draws the foul)
5:49	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-52
5:49	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-52
5:36	+2	Tanner Cuff makes two point layup (Gabriel Pozzato assists)	57-54
5:24		Bennett Stirtz misses three point jump shot
5:22		Gabriel Pozzato defensive rebound
5:07		Daniel Abreu blocks Tanner Cuff's two point layup
5:05		Isaia Howard defensive rebound
4:37	+2	Isaia Howard makes two point jump shot (Tavion Banks assists)	59-54
4:24		Michael Day offensive foul (Bennett Stirtz draws the foul)
4:24		Michael Day turnover (offensive foul)
3:57		Mitch Mascari misses three point jump shot
3:55		Tayshawn Comer defensive rebound
3:51		Isaia Howard blocks Tayshawn Comer's two point layup
3:49		Mitch Mascari defensive rebound
3:38		Daniel Abreu misses three point jump shot
3:36		Tayshawn Comer defensive rebound
3:11		Gabriel Pozzato misses three point jump shot
3:08		Purple Aces offensive rebound
3:08		TV timeout
2:59		Isaia Howard personal foul (Tanner Cuff draws the foul)
2:59	+1	Tanner Cuff makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-55
2:59		Tanner Cuff misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:59		Tanner Cuff offensive rebound
2:41		Gabriel Pozzato misses two point jump shot
2:39		Daniel Abreu defensive rebound
2:14		Isaia Howard misses two point jump shot
2:12		Isaia Howard offensive rebound
2:06		Isaia Howard misses two point layup
2:04		Tanner Cuff defensive rebound
1:59	+2	Tayshawn Comer makes two point layup	59-57
1:58		Purple Aces 30 second timeout
1:35		Joshua Hughes shooting foul (Tavion Banks draws the foul)
1:35		Tavion Banks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:35	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-57
1:22		Daniel Abreu shooting foul (Tanner Cuff draws the foul)
1:22	+1	Tanner Cuff makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-58
1:22	+1	Tanner Cuff makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-59
0:58		Isaia Howard turnover (traveling)
0:52		Joshua Hughes turnover (lost ball) (Isaia Howard steals)
0:45		Gabriel Pozzato blocks Isaia Howard's two point dunk
0:43		Bulldogs offensive rebound
0:43		Tanner Cuff personal foul (Daniel Abreu draws the foul)
0:43	+1	Daniel Abreu makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-59
0:43		Daniel Abreu misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:43		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
0:37		Purple Aces 30 second timeout
0:28		Tayshawn Comer misses two point layup
0:27		Tavion Banks defensive rebound
0:27		Joshua Hughes personal foul (Tavion Banks draws the foul)
0:26		Tavion Banks misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:26		Tanner Cuff defensive rebound
0:09		Gui Tesch misses two point jump shot
0:08		Gui Tesch offensive rebound
0:08		Tanner Cuff personal foul (Tavion Banks draws the foul)
0:08	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-59
0:08	+1	Tavion Banks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-59
0:08		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:04	+2	Tayshawn Comer makes two point jump shot	63-61
0:04		Purple Aces 30 second timeout
0:04		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:02		Gabriel Pozzato personal foul (Bennett Stirtz draws the foul)
0:02	+1	Bennett Stirtz makes regular free throw 1 of 2	64-61
0:02	+1	Bennett Stirtz makes regular free throw 2 of 2	65-61
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Bennett Stirtz makes regular free throw 2 of 2