The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team picked up a crucial road victory on Thursday, defeating the University of Central Arkansas 77-75. The Colonels shot a red-hot 62% in the first half, with Devontae Blanton leading the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds. Leland Walker also contributed 14 points and 5 boards, while John Ukomadu and Michael Moreno added 12 points each. Isaiah Cozart had a game-best 11 rebounds and added 8 points and 2 blocked shots.
EKU got off to a slow start, trailing 9-8 early on, but went on a 11-0 run to take control of the game. The Colonels pushed their lead to 13, 33-20, on a 3-pointer from Moreno before the Bears fought back to close within 8, 38-30. However, EKU ended the half on an 11-2 run to take a commanding 49-32 lead into the locker room.
Central Arkansas refused to go away, using a 20-4 run to get back in the game and eventually cutting the deficit to just one, 65-64. The Bears had a chance to tie the game late, but Eddy Kayouloud missed two free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining. Camren Hunter led all players with 25 points for UCA, while Ibbe Klintman had 22 points and 9 rebounds.
The Colonels improve to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the ASUN conference with the win, while the Bears fall to 5-11 overall and 0-3 in conference play. EKU will return home to host Liberty on Sunday at 1 p.m.
KEYS:
- Eastern Kentucky’s defense was key in the victory, forcing 11 turnovers in the first half and holding the Bears to just 2 points in the final 5:25 of the period.
- Despite Central Arkansas’ strong shooting in the second half (57% from the field and 6-of-13 from 3-point range), the Colonels were able to hold on for the win thanks to key contributions from Blanton, Cozart, and others down the stretch.
- This was a crucial win for EKU, as they look to make a push for a spot in the ASUN conference tournament. With the victory, the Colonels moved into a tie for third place in the conference standings.
- The Colonels will look to continue their strong play on Sunday when they host Liberty, who currently sits at the top of the ASUN conference with a 3-0 record. It will be a tough test for EKU, but a win would be a huge boost to their conference tournament hopes.
