Newcomer Brandon Knapper scored eight points during a first-half 15-0 Eastern Kentucky University run as the Colonels beat Campbellsville University-Harrodsburg, 118-54, on Thursday at McBrayer Arena.
EKU (6-2) will play host to High Point at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The Panthers are coached by former Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith.
CU-Harrodsburg grabbed a 2-point lead, 24-22, on Tyrese Duncan’s 3-pointer with 9:29 left in the opening half, but the EKU defense tightened up. The Colonels pitched a shutout over the next 4:25, using that 15-0 run to pull away. Knapper, a transfer from West Virginia making his first appearance for Eastern, fueled the run with two 3-pointers and a 15-footer from the elbow. Cheikh Faye’s 3-pointer finished it off and put the home team up 37-24.
Knapper went on to finish the game with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field. He made 5-of-10 attempts from 3-point range.
Eastern Kentucky scored the final seven points of the first half and led by 15 at the break, 48-33.
The Colonels scored the first nine points of the second half, six coming from Tre King, to stretch the run to 16-0. Two free throws from Curt Lewis with 17:52 left in the game gave EKU a 57-33 advantage.
King finished the night with 24 points, making 12-of-18 shots from the field. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked two shots.
The lead ballooned to 30, 71-41, on a 3-pointer by JacQuess Hobbs with 13:20 showing on the clock. Eastern didn’t stop there, scoring 16 more for a 23-0 run. A 3-pointer and a lay-up by Hobbs pushed the margin over 40, 82-41. Knapper hit a long jumper, and then a 3-pointer, to finish it off and put Eastern Kentucky on top by 46, 87-41. The Pioneers went 5:39 without scoring.
Hobbs gave his squad a 50-point lead, 93-43, with a lay-up at the 8:21 mark. Another 3-pointer from Knapper allowed the Colonels to eclipse the 100-point plateau, 101-50, with 5:38 remaining. A lay-up by Richmond native Isaiah Minter gave EKU a 60-point lead.
Hobbs contributed 15 points and five assists.
Antoine Darby had a team-best 17 points for CU-Harrodsburg.
Eastern Kentucky shot 58 percent from the field for the game, out-rebounded the visitors by 19 and scored 37 points off turnovers. The EKU bench scored 78 points.
The Pioneers made 31 percent of their shots and turned the ball over 25 times.
The game ended with 1:27 left to play.
Steve Fohl
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications
