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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team used an early 17-0 run to build a strong lead over visiting Tennessee State, but the Colonels were forced to fend off the surging Tigers late to hold on for a 73-68 victory Saturday afternoon in McBrayer Arena.

With the win, Eastern Kentucky (9-6, 3-0 OVC) moves to 3-0 in conference action for the first time since 2007-08.

EKU led by as many as 26 in the second half, but TSU (8-7, 1-1 OVC) rallied behind a 16-2 spurt to get back in the game, and eventually pulled to within four, 70-66, on a bucket by Patrick Miller with 26 seconds to play.

After a turnover by junior Mike DiNunno, the Tigers had a chance to make it a single-possession game, but Jordan Cyphers missed the front end of a one-and-one, and freshman Eric Stutz made one of two free throws on the opposite end of the floor to make it 71-66. Senior Jaron Jones then stole the ball with nine seconds remaining and converted both free throws to put the game out of reach.

Jones led EKU in scoring for the fifth time in the Colonels’ last six games with 24 points. Junior #D’Mitri Riggs# knocked down a game-high three three-pointers to finish with 16 points.

EKU shot 53 percent (25-of-47) from the field and limited TSU to just 37 percent (25-of-67) shooting, including 18 percent (6-of-32) shooting in a lopsided first half.

Robert Covington paced TSU with a double-double, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Tennessee State had won five straight games entering today’s contest.

After Covington connected on two free throws out of the first media timeout to bring TSU to within one, 11-10, EKU scored 17 unanswered points over the next 5:33 to take a commanding 28-10. Jones chipped in with seven points, while Riggs and freshman Timmy Knipp both sank three pointers during the run.

The Colonels continued to pile it on over the next 10 minutes as they scored the final five points of the half, including a one-handed slam by Stutz with less than 30 seconds on the clock, to head into the locker room at halftime up by 24, 41-17.

EKU’s lead hovered around 20 for much of the early part of the second half, until TSU exploded on the 16-2 run – capped off by a jumper in the lane by Tashan Fredrick – to pull within 11, 55-44, with 8:02 to play. A three-pointer from the corner by Wil Peters with 2:24 on the clock then cut EKU’s lead to single digits for the first time since the 13:17 mark of the first half.  

EKU returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 4, when the Colonels travel to take on undefeated and nationally ranked Murray State. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m.