RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior Julian Mascoll converted a driving, left-handed lay-up with 5.2 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team to a 63-62 win over Eastern Illinois Saturday afternoon in McBrayer Arena. With the win, the Colonels (10-6, 5-3 OVC) complete the season sweep against the Panthers (5-14, 1-9) for the second consecutive year.

Eastern Kentucky went almost seven minutes in the first half without netting a field goal while the visiting Panthers notched 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) three-pointers to take a 32-23 lead into intermission.

Freshman Adam Leonard, who scored a career-high 22 points, helped put the Colonels right back into contention by hitting three long-range shots in the first four minutes of the second stanza. Sophomore Mike Rose's first three-pointer of the contest and a Jamaal Douglas lay-in capped an 18-6 EKU run to begin the second half and put the Colonels ahead with 13:43 left, 41-38.

Over the next 12 minutes, the two teams battled back and forth with three ties and 10 lead changes. After Mascoll hit a free throw to put Eastern Kentucky ahead, 59-58, with 1:11 remaining, Eastern Illinois' Romain Martin nailed a pull-up jumper at the free throw line to give EIU the advantage once again with 45 ticks left, 60-59. Following a Colonel miss, Mike Robinson's two free throws pushed the Panther lead to three with :24 remaining, 62-59.

Rose kept Eastern Kentucky's hopes alive with a floater seven seconds later to cut the deficit back to one point, 62-61. EIU's Jon'Tee Willhite then missed the front end of a 1-and-1 situation, allowing the Colonels to regain possession. From there, Mascoll took the ball from coast-to-coast and netted the winning shot with 5.2 seconds left. Eastern Illinois set up a final play after a time-out, but Ousmane Cisse missed a tip-in as time expired.

Leonard connected on six three-pointers for the second time this season and bested his previous career high by two points. Rose chipped in with 15 points, 13 of which came in the second half, while Mascoll added 11 points and equaled a career best with eight assists. Meanwhile, senior Michael Brock notched a game-high nine rebounds.

For Eastern Illinois, Robinson and Bobby Catchings combined for 34 points and 15 boards. Martin, the Panthers' leading scorer, was held to four points in the second half and just nine total. After going 0-for-12 from three-point range against the Colonels earlier this season, EIU responded by going 8-of-15 (53.3 percent) from behind the arc.

Eastern Kentucky now gears up for its annual Alabama road trip – at Jacksonville State (1/18) and Samford (1/20). The Colonels first take on the Gamecocks Thursday night at 8:30 p.m.