EKU MBB Come Back Twice But Come Up Short On The Road At Austin Peay

Eastern Kentucky University mens basketball 2017-18
Courtesy EKU Athletics
Eastern Kentucky University’s men’s basketball team overcame a 12-point first half deficit, and erased a 10-point second half deficit, but couldn’t hold off Austin Peay State University in a 90-84 road loss on Thursday in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Dedric Boyd’s two free throws with 1:38 left in the game tied the score, 82-82, and completed a comeback from 10 points down midway through the second half, and eight down with 3:35 to go. The Governors missed two shot attempts on the other end and EKU got the ball back with 1:08 remaining.

However, the Colonels missed on a lay-up attempt and Terry Taylor knocked down a lay-up on APSU’s possession and drew a foul with 29 seconds showing on the clock. The free throw put the home team up three. Austin Peay made 5-of-6 at the free throw line in the final 15 seconds to secure the victory.

Boyd made 10-of-19 attempts from the field, including 4-of-5 from deep, to finish with a game-best 27 points. DeAndre Dishman added 15 points and eight rebounds. Nick Mayo contributed 14 points and six boards.

The Colonels got off to a slow start and fell behind 24-12 midway through the first half, but answered with a 14-4 run to get back within two. Dishman scored five and Boyd scored four during the run. A jumper by Mayo with 6:50 left in the opening half made it a 28-26 game.

With 2:51 showing on the clock, Boyd drained a three-pointer to complete the comeback and give Eastern a 35-34 lead. However, the Colonels didn’t score again in the half and trailed by five at the break.

Austin Peay used a 10-4 run early in the second half to pull in front by eight, and took a 10-point lead on Zach Glotta’s jumper with 11:24 left in the game. EKU staged another comeback bid behind two 3-pointers from Peyton Broughton and a pair of offensive rebounds and put-backs by Mayo and Zach Charles. The 14-6 spurt made it a two-point game, 68-66, with 7:13 remaining.

The Governors put an end to the run on three-pointers by Dayton Gumm and Glotta that sent the APSU lead back to eight with just over six minutes to go. Averyl Ugba’s lay-up at the 3:35 mark pushed the margin to eight again before the Colonels scored 10 of the next 12 to tie the score.

Taylor led Austin Peay with 19 points and a game-best 12 rebounds. Five other Governors scored in double figures.

EKU will play at Murray State on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.

— www.EKUSports.com —

Steve Fohl

Associate Director of EKUSports Communications

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