Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) impressive run in the ASUN Conference Tournament came to an end with a 79-73 loss to No. 2 seed Liberty University on Thursday. Despite being predicted to finish 10th in the ASUN in the preseason poll, the Colonels managed to place third and made it to the final four of the conference tournament for the third time in the last four seasons.
The game was tightly contested, with Devontae Blanton’s jumper with 8:18 left in the game tying the score at 58-58. However, Liberty’s 3-point barrage proved to be the difference-maker, putting the Colonels in a hole they could not recover from. The Flames hit from long range on back-to-back possessions to jump out by six with 5:43 remaining. Two more 3-pointers over the next 66 seconds stretched the lead to a nine-point advantage, 70-61, with 3:37 showing on the clock.
EKU fought back, scoring eight of the next 10 points and getting within three, 72-69, on a long 3-pointer from the top of the key by Blanton with 1:33 to go. However, a 3-point attempt from the junior to tie the game with 57 seconds to play missed, and Kyle Rode got the rebound and hit another 3-pointer for Liberty on the other end.
Blanton led the Colonels with 23 points, in addition to six rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Tayshawn Comer finished with 14 points, four assists, and two steals. On the other hand, the Liberty duo of Darius McGhee and Colin Porter combined for 54 points.
EKU shot an impressive 52 percent from the field for the game, while the Flames made 44 percent of their shots, but knocked in five more 3-pointers. The Colonels broke an 11-11 tie in the first half with a 12-0 run, with Michael Moreno starting it with a lay-up. Leland Walker followed with a 3-pointer from the right corner and a jumper. Isaiah Cozart’s lay-up capped it and gave the visitors a 23-11 lead with 10:50 on the clock.
After Comer’s 3-pointer gave the Colonels a 13-point lead, 26-13, with 8:56 before halftime, the Flames went on an 18-5 run to tie the game. Rode’s trey capped the run and knotted the game at 31-31. McGhee’s 3-pointer gave Liberty a 34-33 lead with 11 seconds left in the first half, but Moreno’s long three from the top of the key with two seconds to go gave EKU a 36-34 edge at the break.
The Flames scored the first basket of the second half to tie the game, but the Colonels scored six straight. Blanton’s jumper had EKU out in front by six, 42-36. A lay-up from Cozart broke a 46-46 tie, and 3-pointers from Blanton and Walker gave the Colonels a five-point advantage, 54-49.
McGhee tied the game, 56-56, on a 3-pointer with 9:19 left to play, setting up the thrilling final minutes of the game.