Junior Michael Moreno became the 37th member of Eastern Kentucky University’s 1,000-point club and helped the Colonels to a 77-75 win over the University of North Carolina Asheville on Saturday at the Capital Classic in Atlanta.
EKU (3-2) handed UNC Asheville (3-1) its first loss of the season. The Bulldogs were one of the preseason favorites to win the Big South Conference.
Moreno picked a perfect time to join the 1,000-point club. UNCA had cut a 13-point halftime deficit to seven. With 9:50 on the clock, Moreno knocked down a three from the right corner to hit 1,000 exactly. After a Bulldog basket, the Georgetown, Kentucky native hit another 3-pointer to put the Colonels in front by 12, 62-50.
Eastern Kentucky would need all 12 of those points. An 11-3 run by UNC Asheville closed the gap to four. Drew Pender’s two free throws with 6:25 remaining brought his squad to within 65-61.
A lay-up from freshman Leland Walker and two free throws by DaShawn Jackson allowed EKU to move back in front by eight, 69-61.
A late 3-point barrage by the Bulldogs made it close once more. Tajion Jones nailed a three with 31 seconds left to get UNCA back within four, 73-69. After Devontae Blanton made two free throws with 16.8 seconds to go, Fletcher Abee hit one from long range to make it a three-point game, 75-72, with less than five seconds to play.
Tayshawn Comer’s first attempt on a one-and-one free throw situation bounced high off the rim, but came right down through the basket. His second hit nothing but net to push the margin back to four, 76-72.
Trent Stephney’s 3-pointer at the buzzer set the final score.
Blanton led the Colonels with 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting. He also had seven rebounds. Moreno made five 3-pointers in the game and finished with 19 points and six rebounds. Isaiah Cozart had 10 points and six boards. Comer contributed nine points, four assists and four rebounds.
Pember led UNC Asheville with 20 points and eight rebounds.
Eastern Kentucky shot 48 percent from the field for the game. The Colonels went 12-of-16 (75 percent) at the free throw line. The Bulldogs made just 9-of-17 at the stripe and were out-rebounded 43-31. EKU scored 38 points in the paint and blocked eight shots.
The Colonels jumped out to a big early lead. After UNCA tied it 6-6 on a jumper from Stephney, EKU rolled off a 16-0 run. The Bulldogs went 4:32 without scoring. Blanton had seven of the 16 points. Moreno’s 3-pointer and a put-back basket from Dardan Kapiti capped it and put Eastern Kentucky in front 22-6.
Pember snapped UNC Asheville’s drought with a lay-up at the 13:06 mark. The Bulldogs slowly cut the deficit in half, drawing to within eight, 34-26, on Pember’s jumper with 3:43 left in the first half.
The Colonels scored the next six points, four of which came from Michael Wardy, to go back in front by 14, 40-26. Moreno’s 3-pointer with four seconds left sent Eastern Kentucky to the locker room ahead by 13, 43-30.
EKU’s final game at the Capital Classic is against Texas A&M – Commerce on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Kevin Britton
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications