Five Colonels scored in double figures as the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team went on the road and blew past USC Upstate, 95-78, on Wednesday night at G.B. Hodge Center.
Sophomore Michael Moreno matched his career high with 18 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Junior Jomaru Brown also scored 18 points off the bench, adding four assists and two steals.
Junior Tre King posted 17 points and seven boards. Freshman Wendell Green Jr. had 12 points and a team-best six assists, while senior Russhard Cruickshank contributed 10 points off the bench.
EKU (3-1) shot a season-best 53.7 percent (36-of-67) from the field and 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from deep.
The Colonels stifled the Spartans to 34.9 percent (22-of-63) shooting from the field and 29.2 percent (7-of-24) shooting from beyond the arc.
Eastern outscored Upstate (0-3), 44-28, in the paint.
King opened the game with a thunderous dunk, giving the Colonels a lead they would never relinquish. A three-point play by sophomore Tariq Balogun made it 11-2 with 13:30 left in the first half.
Another slam by King gave Eastern its largest lead of the first half, 44-20, with 2:18 on the clock.
The Colonels did not let up in the second half. A three-pointer from Brown handed EKU its largest lead of the night, 69-37, with 13:05 left.
EKU returns to Richmond to host rival Morehead State in its home opener on Monday, December 7. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
— www.EKUSports.com ––
Steve Fohl
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications