How to Lose a Winnable Game: Evansville Style

We've all seen our favorite teams let games slip through their finger tips - it happens at least once a season. However, on Friday afternoon Evansville put a new and wicked twist on how to lose a perfectly winnable game.

First, let's set the stage. There are 22.8 seconds left in the game and you've got a player to the free throw line and the game is tied 50-50. No sweat right, after all it's a guard on the line.

Or not... Especially since said guard was Troy Taylor, who was all of 63.3% from the free throw line all season long.

Instead he missed the front end and put major pressure on himself, only to miss the back end as well allowing the Sycamores of Indiana State to grab the rebound.

So, you'd foul right away, right? If not, you'd let them take the final shot (contested of course) without fouling and let the chips fall where they may.


Not this time around... Instead the Aces committed the cardinal sin of fouling with just 2 seconds left in the game, putting the Sycamores' Justin Gant on the line. Gant hadn't been to the free throw line at all the ENTIRE game to that point.

Naturally he misses the 1st and nails the 2nd to put the Sycamores up 51-50 with 2 seconds left.

Amazingly there was a layup attempt by the Aces that was saved by a timely block from Devonte Brown as the buzzer sounded, saving the game and ISU's chances for a Missouri Valley Conference title and that's how you lose a completely winnable game in all the wrong kind of ways.