RICHMOND, Ky. -- Coach Travis Ford's Eastern Kentucky University basketball Colonels picked a most-opportune time to turn in a near flawless floor game as EKU combined 17 assists with just four turnovers in defeating the redhot Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks, 83-72, before 3,200 appreciative fans at McBrayer Arena Thursday night.
EKU moves into a third-place tie in the OVC standings with Southeast Missouri at 8-5 in league play with the victory as the Colonels stay in the hunt for a first-round home game in the post-season Ohio Valley Conference Tournament which begins Tuesday, Mar. 1.
There are now six teams within a game of the lead in the conference. Samford and Tennessee Tech are tied for the lead at 9-4, followed by Austin Peay and Murray State at 9-5 and Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri at 8-5.
Tennessee State is 7-6 and EIU is 6-7 after its 73-71 overtime win over Morehead State.
In addition to taking care of the basketball, EKU hit 53.1 percent from the field, 86.7 percent from the free throw line and outrebounded the Redhawks, 33-30, to move to 16-8 overall.
"This team did what they're supposed to do and that's win at home," said an elated Ford. "I'm very, very proud of these guys.
"We had a very balanced attack tonight. Everybody stepped up and contributed tonight. Michael Haney is the best player in the league. No question about it.
"And Alonzo Hird was a true warrior out there on the court. I thought tonight's game was his most complete game of the year. Matt Witt came up big with nine assists and continuously was able to dribble out of trouble and distribute the basketball.
"Early on, both teams were executing very efficiently on offense and there was a lot of scoring. I thought our second half defense came up big for us and helped us finally take hold of the game."
In the first half with Eastern up 28-26, EKU got back-to-back buckets from Matt Witt and an 18-foot jumper from Haney to lead 36-28. The Redhawks closed to within 36-34 but EKU outscored SEMO, 8-5 the rest of the way to halftime to lead, 44-39, at the break.
Haney led EKU at halftime with 14 points, while senior center Reggie Golson had 16 points for the Redhawks.
In the last 20 minutes, after Hird tied the game for the 14th time with 10:16 to go on a layup, the Redhawks got consecutive layups from Golson and guard Derek Winans to take its biggest lead since the 16:11 mark of the first stanza (12-8), 65-61.
EKU then went on an 8-0 run, capped by a four-point play by Witt ( high-arching three-pointer from the corner and ensuing free throw) to reverse that four-point deficit into a four-point advantage.
Although SEMO scored the next three points to close to within 69-68 with 6:13 left, EKU went on a 14-4 run to finish the game out and hand SEMO its 11th loss overall in 24 decisions this year and end the Redhawks' seven-game winning streak.
Haney led EKU with 24 points, followed by Witt with 16 points and nine assists, 14 points from guard Zach Ingles (which included 6-6 free throws) and Hird's third double-double of the season of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Southeast Missouri was paced by the awesome inside game of Golson (28 points, eight rebounds) and Dainmon Gonner (23 points, six boards). The Redhawks were held without a field goal for the final 9:33 of the game, scoring its last seven points from the charity stripe.
EKU hosts Eastern Illinois Saturday (Feb. 19) in a 7:30 p.m. EST p.m. "Take A Kid to the Game Night" Ohio Valley Conference contest.
