RICHMOND, Ky. – Seniors Jason McLeish and Matt Witt combined for 49 points to help the Eastern Kentucky men's basketball team post a season high in points as the Colonels defeated Tennessee Tech Thursday night in McBrayer Arena, 93-75. The win was just the second in EKU's (6-7, 3-3 OVC) last 13 meetings with the Golden Eagles (8-5, 3-2) dating back to the 1998-99 season.

McLeish led all scorers with a career-best 29 points while going 6-of-7 (85.7 percent) from the field in the second half. Witt reached the 20-point plateau for the fourth time this season as he finished with 20 points and five assists. Two other players finished in double figures for Eastern – freshman Mike Rose (15 points) and senior Alonzo Hird (14 points).

For Tennessee Tech, Anthony Fisher netted a team-high 17 points off the bench. Meanwhile, guards Milone Clark and Keyon Boyd combined for 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting (62.5 percent) from the floor.

The Colonels never trailed on the evening as a layup by sophomore Darnell Dialls, McLeish free throw and Rose three-pointer quickly put Eastern Kentucky on top, 6-0, just one minute into play. Eastern's lead swelled to as many as 13 in the first half, 32-19, before the Colonels took a 40-31 cushion into the intermission.

The Golden Eagles scored the first nine points of the second half, highlighted by a Derek Stribling dunk at 15:32, to cut the deficit to 40-39. However, the Colonels responded by connecting on their next 11 shots from the field. When the Eastern hot spell ended, the home team found itself out in front by a count of 70-51. Tennessee Tech made one last charge to creep to within nine with 2:12 remaining, 79-70, but would get no closer the rest of the way.

Eastern Kentucky controlled play on the boards throughout the contest, outrebounding its opponent for only the third time all season, 45-31. Three players tallied a team-high eight boards for the Colonels including McLeish and Rose, marking their career bests.

Eastern Kentucky next hits the road to face Atlantic 10 opponent Xavier on Monday, Jan. 9. The game will be televised regionally by FSN Ohio beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tennessee Tech returns home to take on Morehead State this Saturday, Jan. 7, beginning at 8:30 p.m.