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LYNCHBURG, Va. – Down at halftime, the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team stepped up its defensive pressure in the second half to force a season-high 18 turnovers and cruise past William and Mary, 63-44, Saturday night at the Vines Center.

The game was part of the 2K Sports Classic Benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer.

Trailing 24-19 at the break, EKU (3-2) used quick hands and aggressive defense to cause 12 turnovers, nine on steals, and stifle William and Mary (0-5) to 29 percent (7-of-24) shooting from the field and 15 percent (2-of-13) shooting from deep in the second half. EKU’s defense then led to offense as the Colonels, who shot just 28 percent (7-of-25) from the field in the first half, exploded to shoot 62 percent (16-of-26) from the field and outscore the Tribe, 44-20, in the second half.

Junior Mike DiNunno delivered his best game as a Colonel to lead EKU. The guard from Chicago poured in 20 points on 4-of-5 shooting from deep and also contributed with eight rebounds, five assists and two steals. Junior #D’Mitri Riggs finished the night with 13 points while senior Jaron Jones chipped in with 11 points. Senior Joshua Jones# scored only four points but led the defensive charge in the second half and finished with a career-high six steals.

Brandon Britt led the Tribe with nine points, while Tom Schalk finished the game with seven points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Making his first career start, Riggs came out hot, hitting his first two three-point attempts to give EKU an 8-2 lead at the first media timeout. William and Mary responded, though, and grabbed a double-digit advantage, 21-11, when Quinn McDowell converted a fastbreak layup with 4:20 remaining in the half.

DiNunno then found his range from behind the arc as he knocked down two three-pointers in the last three minutes of the first half to cut the double-digit lead in half and send the Colonels into the break down by just five, 24-19.

DiNunno’s hot hand did not cool down in the locker room as he buried another three-pointer early in the second half, sparking a 20-0 Colonel run that ended with another DiNunno trifecta and gave EKU a commanding 41-27 lead with 10:19 remaining in the game.

The Tribe would get no closer than nine points the rest of the game.

EKU finishes up its set of games here at Liberty tomorrow, Nov. 20, when the Colonels face Lehigh at 2:30 p.m.