Newcomer Cheikh Faye hit four 3-pointers and scored a career-best 16 points as the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team beat visiting Transylvania University, 81-60, on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.
The Colonels (5-1) scored 32 points off 26 Pioneer turnovers.
EKU will play at Morehead State University on Monday at 6 p.m.
Faye added four rebounds and two steals. Jomaru Brown contributed 13 points and five steals for Eastern Kentucky. Wendell Green Jr. had 12 points while Curt Lewis finished with 11 points and five boards.
Zach Larimore scored a game-best 24 points for Transylvania (0-3). Michael Jefferson added 10 points and 12 rebounds.
A late first half 3-point barrage helped the Colonels turn a 3-point lead into a 9-point advantage at the break. Faye made three 3-pointers and had 11 points during EKU’s 16-8 run to end the half. Peyton Broughton also had a 3-pointer. Russhard Cruickshank’s jumper in the final seven seconds sent the home team to the locker room up by 11, 52-41.
Eastern shot 53 percent in the first half from the field, including hitting on 7-of-17 from long range (41 percent). The Colonels turned 17 first half Pioneer turnovers into a 24-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
EKU scored the first four points of the second half to stretch it to a 20-8 run and move ahead by 15, 56-41.
A long jumper from Faye pushed the margin to 16, 65-49, with 11:56 to play in the game. A lay-up and free throw from Green followed by a put back from Tre King made it a 19-point margin, 70-51, with 9:48 showing on the clock.
Four consecutive free throws, two from JacQuess Hobbs and two from Michael Moreno, gave the Colonels a 20-plus point lead, 76-55, with four and a half minutes remaining.
Eastern Kentucky shot 47 percent for the game from the field. The Pioneers made 38 percent of their shots.
Steve Fohl
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications
