EMPORIA, Kan. – Trevon Evans scored 28 points and Jerrod Walton added 23 to lead the University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (1-0) to a wild 94-89 season-opening overtime thriller over Emporia State on Friday night in the MIAA-NSIC Challenge at Slaymaker Court.

After jumping to an early 13-5 lead, USF trailed 42-38 at halftime. In a game with nine lead changes and five ties, ESU took a 55-46 lead but in the back-and-forth affair, USF rallied and led, 79-74, with less than a minute to play. The Hornets put up five points and sent the game into overtime. The Cougars opened the extra session with six straight points and held off ESU with clutch free throwing shooting from Walton and Evans in the final minute.

USF Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Johnson was pleased with his team's effort, noting the performances of several players making their first appearance in Cougar uniforms.

"I am really proud of the grit and toughness we showed tonight," said Johnson, who recorded his 157th career win at USF. "We had some outstanding performances from Trevon (Evans), Jerrod (Walton) and Tessy (Teathloach Pal). Overall, we played hard and executed in the second half and overtime," said Johnson, whose team will play Fort Hays State (1-0), which defeated Southwest Minnesota State in the opener of the tourney, on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., also in Emporia, Kan.

Evans, Walton and Teathloach Pal shined in their first game with USF. Evans, a junior guard, was dynamic both in drives to the basket and his ability to knock home jump shots, He finished with 28 points, including 19 in the second half, and nearly put up a double double with nine rebounds while recording two assists in 39 minutes of action, He hit 9-of-15 shots from the floor, including 3-of-6 from three point range and 7-of-9 from the foul line to lead the way.

Walton, a senior guard, supplied 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot. Walton, who had a game-high seven offensive boards, hit 7-of-13 shots from the field and his only three-point basket. In total, four USF players scored in double digits, including redshirt freshman forward Teathloach Pal, who had 14 points and nine rebounds along with three assists, two steals and a block. Junior forward Drew Guebert added 13 points and three rebounds. The Cougars also had six points and four assists from senior Zach Wessels.

Clearly, USF's ability to rebound on both ends and put the ball in the basket played a key role in the win. The Cougars, which fell to ESU, 101-94 a year ago at the Stewart Center, shot 58 percent in the opening half and finished at 50.8 percent on 33-of-65 shooting.

The Cougars held a massive 41-to-22 edge in rebounds, including 18-to-6 on the offensive glass. ESU, which shot 52.5 percent from the floor, had a significant edge in made three pointers, hitting 15-of-25 for 60 percent to just 4-of-11 for the Cougars. However, the different on the boards and USF's ability to draw fouls provided the difference. USF had 24 made free throws to just 12 for ESU.

The Hornets were led in scoring by Hassan Thomas with 24 points, including a blistering 5-of-5 from three-point range. Brian Morton added 19 points, including 3-of-3 from deep while Brandon Hall had 19 points and 11 assists and Grant Shell added 13 points.

The Cougars opened the game quickly with a jumper from Guebert and a three by Evans providing a 5-0 lead (18:59). By the 15:38 mark, USF had hit 5-of-7 shots and built a 13-5 edge as Pal and Walton had four points. Over the next five minutes, ESU closed the gap, using a 14-7 run to draw within 20-19 after Hall knocked home a three-point shot with 10:28 to play.

Down by two (24-22), the Cougars responded with an 8-0 run to take a 30-24 lead at the 5:09 mark. During that run, the Cougars received two foul shots by Justin Taylor, who scored the first two points of his career at USF, along with baskets from Guebert, and Aaron Rothermund and two foul shots from Wessels.  ESU rebounded with a 6-0 run to take a 31-30 lead with 3:29 to play. A basket by Austin Slater, the first in his career, helped the Cougars take a 32-31 lead before Brian Morton of ESU, who scored 11 first half points, canned a three and made a pair of free throws to give the Hornets a 36-32 lead.  

Thomas, who had 13 points in the half, made a pair of three-point shots over a 30-second period for a 42-36 lead. Evans, who had nine first half points, hit a jumper with a second left to draw USF within 42-38 at the half.

At halftime, ESU had knocked in 14-of-26 shots for 53.8 percent, including 7-of-9 for 77.8 percent from three-point range. USF made 58.3 percent of their shots from the field on 14-of-24 shooting, including 2-of-3 from the three point range. The Hornets made 7-of-8 from the foul line and the Cougars hit 8-of-11 from foul line.

ESU opened the second half on a 7-2 run to take a 49-40 lead over the Cougars with 17:58 to play. Walton converted a lay-up and a dunk and Pal made a lay-up to trim the deficit to 49-46 with 16:11 left in the game.

But the Hornets responded as triples by Stephaun Limuel and Morton (14:54) pushed the advantage to 55-46 lead. Wessels started a USF 8-0 run with a lay-up. Evans also played a key role in the rally as he made a three-pointer and converted a three-point plan to close the game to 55-54 at the 12:55 mark.  A lay-up from Wessels tied the game at 60 with 10:28 to play.

With the game tied at 63, Hall stole the ball and fed Thomas, whose three provided ESU with a 66-63 lead with 8:04 to play. Once again the Cougars responded, using a 7-2 run to take a 73-72 lead on Evans's three at the 4:32 mark. Two baskets from Walton at 2:08 and again with 45 seconds left provided the Cougars with a 79-74 lead. Then, the Hornets closed on half on a 5-0 run, including another clutch three from Thomas, to send the game into overtime.

USF senior forward Tom Aase opened the overtime period by converting a lay-up with 4:30 on the clock. Then, Evans made consecutive driving lay-ups for an 85-79 advantage with 3:51 to play. ESU closed within four at 87-83 but could draw no closer. USF converted five of six free throws in the final minute to ice the game and give the Cougars a season-opening victory.