In a decisive game on Wednesday evening, Diante Smith emerged as a standout player for UT Arlington, scoring 18 points off the bench in a comfortable 80-54 victory over Evansville.
Smith also brought down eight rebounds, aiding the Mavericks, who improved their record to 6-6 this season.
Lance Ware contributed significantly as well, tallying 14 points, shooting 5 of 9 from the field, and hitting 4 of 7 free throws, while also collecting 13 rebounds and making three steals.
Jaden Wells added to the scoring effort with 12 points, finishing 4 of 11 in field goals, including three successful attempts out of eight from beyond the arc.

On the other side, Tayshawn Comer was the leading scorer for the Purple Aces, finishing with 20 points along with four assists.
Michael Day contributed nine points, while Tanner Cuff chipped in seven points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Evansville, who now sits at a record of 3-8 and 0-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Looking ahead, both UT Arlington and Evansville are set to take the court again on Saturday; UT Arlington will face off against Liberty, while Evansville is scheduled to play against Ball State.