It was a battle of the unbeatens on Sunday at Baptist Health Arena, as the Eastern Kentucky University Colonels took on the Liberty University Flames in a matchup of two of the top teams in the ASUN Conference. The Flames entered the game with a 3-0 record in the conference and a ranking of 56th in the NCAA Net Rankings, but it was the Colonels who came out on top, securing a 62-59 victory thanks to a dominant 11-0 run midway through the second half.
The game was tightly contested throughout, with the lead changing hands several times in the first half. The Flames grabbed an early 15-10 lead on a lay-up from Blake Preston, but three 3-pointers from the Colonels tied the score. John Ukomadu hit one from the right corner, while Devontae Blanton and Jomaru Brown each sank triples from the left wing to knot the score at 19-19. Isaiah Cozart then completed the 8-2 run with a powerful dunk to give the Colonels a 21-19 lead.
The Flames responded with a 6-2 run of their own to take a 25-21 lead, but Eastern Kentucky closed out the half strong, outscoring Liberty 9-4 to take a 30-29 edge into the break. Both teams shot well in the first half, with each shooting over 40%, but they combined to go just 7-for-22 from three-point range.
The Colonels came out of the locker room on fire, rolling off an 8-0 run to take a 43-35 lead with 15:25 remaining in the game. Blanton put back his own miss to start the run, while Michael Moreno and Jomaru Brown each hit three-pointers to extend the lead. The Flames responded with a 9-0 run of their own, capped off by a lay-up from Zach Cleveland, to reclaim the lead at 44-43.
From there, the two teams traded baskets until the Colonels’ decisive 11-0 run. After a lay-up from Colin Porter tied the game at 46-46, the Flames went 3:16 without scoring as the Colonels scored on four straight possessions, three of which were from three-point range. Turner Buttry hit one from long range on the left wing, and then another from the left corner, while Devontae Blanton connected from long distance. Leland Walker then finished off the run with a mid-range jumper to put the Colonels ahead 57-46 with 8:57 remaining.
The Flames fought back, cutting the lead to 60-57 on an old-fashioned three-point play by Shiloh Robinson with 1:29 left in the game, but it wasn’t enough. Jonathan Jackson missed a three-point attempt to tie the game at the buzzer, and the Colonels held on for the 62-59 victory.
Blanton led the Colonels with a team-best 16 points and eight rebounds, while Brown added 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Walker dished out six assists and Buttry hit three 3-pointers in the win. For the Flames, Brody Peebles came off the bench to lead the way with 13 points, while Darius McGhee, who entered the game averaging 22 points per game, was limited to just seven points on 2-for-11 shooting.
The Colonels improve to 10-7 overall and 3-1 in the ASUN, while the Flames fall to 12-5 and 3-1 in conference play. The Colonels will look to continue their winning ways on Thursday when they host Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m., while the Flames will look to bounce back in their next matchup.
It was a hard-fought victory for the Colonels, who battled through a tough, physical game against a quality opponent. Eastern Kentucky’s defense was key, as they held the Flames to just 4-for-23 from three-point range and limited McGhee, one of the top scorers in the country, to just seven points. The Colonels also got strong performances from Blanton, Brown, and Walker, who combined for 37 points and 14 rebounds in the win.
For the Flames, it was a disappointing loss, but they can take solace in the fact that they were able to hang with one of the top teams in the conference for much of the game. Peebles provided a spark off the bench, scoring 13 points in just 19 minutes, and Robinson had a strong performance with nine points, six rebounds, and four assists. The Flames will need to regroup and come back stronger in their next matchup, but they can take some positives away from this tough loss.
Overall, it was an exciting game between two talented teams, and the Colonels came out on top thanks to their strong defense and timely scoring. With this win, the Colonels continue to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the conference, and they will look to build on this victory as they host Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday.
