Trailing by five with eight minutes left in the game, the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team came from behind to knock off visiting University of North Carolina Greensboro, 68-64, on Thursday at Baptist Health Arena.
After Mikeal Brown-Jones gave the Spartans (6-7) a 60-55 lead on a lay-up with 8:00 left to play, UNCG went more than five and a half minutes without scoring.
A pair of jumpers from Devontae Blanton got EKU (7-6) within one, 60-59. A third jumper by Blanton, this time a spinner in the paint with 3:21 showing on the clock, put Eastern Kentucky ahead by one. The junior from Macedonia, Ohio finished off his personal 8-0 run with a long jumper from the top of the key to make it 63-60 with 2:30 remaining.
Dante Treacy made the first of two free throws with 2:23 to go to end the UNC Greensboro scoring drought and get his team within two. Over the next two minutes the two teams combined for three missed shots and a turnover. Michael Moreno stretched the EKU margin to four with a pair of free throws with 22.9 seconds left in the game.
Keyshawn Langley kept the Spartans in it with a 3-pointer from the left wing that cut the margin to one with 13.6 seconds left. After Blanton made two free throws at the other end, Langley missed a game-tying 3-pointer with five seconds to play.
Blanton finished the day with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Michael Moreno scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds. Tayshawn Comer handed out five assists, pulled down five rebounds and scored four points.
Treacy led UNC Greensboro, a team that has played in a national postseason tournament each of the past six full seasons including the 2018 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments, with 15 points.
EKU will open ASUN Conference play on Dec. 31 at home against Queens University of Charlotte.
Kevin Britton
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications
