DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Reed Timmer scored 18 points, Gary Ricks Jr. added 14 and Drake beat Evansville 70-65 on Saturday in a contest that never saw more than a single-digit lead.
The final 5 minutes included three lead changes, but seven-straight points put the Bulldogs up 60-53 with 1:33 to go. After Timmer split a pair of free throws for a six-point lead with 51 seconds left, the Purple Aces rebounded and Adam Wing missed a 3-point attempt. Evansville grabbed three offensive boards but missed all three shot attempts. Drake (6-16, 3-7 Missouri Valley) made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 25 seconds.
Timmer shot 50 percent from the floor and 7 of 10 from the line, leading Drake to its first consecutive wins of the season.
D.J. Balentine finished with 17 points - including back-to-back 3's in the final 5 seconds - and Wing added 15 for Evansville (16-6, 6-4).
