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RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior Joshua Jones poured in a season-high 20 points and became the 31st Colonel in program history score 1,000 career points as the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team held on for an exciting 63-59 victory over Ohio Valley Conference foe Southeast Missouri Saturday night in McBrayer Arena.

With the win, EKU (10-7, 4-1 OVC) improves to a perfect 6-0 at home this season.

While Saturday’s win will likely be remembered for Joshua Jones’ big night, it was fellow senior Jaron Jones who sank six key free throws in the last minute of the game to seal the win.

With SEMO (8-8, 3-1 OVC) leading 59-57 and just under a minute left to play, Jaron Jones was fouled going to the basket and converted both foul shots to tie the game.

The Colonels then came away with a steal as SEMO was moving the ball up the court. Jaron Jones was fouled on that play and he calmly sank two more charity shots to give EKU the lead, 61-59, with 23 ticks on the clock. On the Redhawks’ next possession, Nick Niemczyk missed a three-pointer but Leon Powell grabbed an offensive board and was fouled with four seconds remaining. He missed both free throws, though, and Jaron Jones knocked down two more at the opposite end to seal the thrilling win for EKU.

Eastern finished the night 83 percent (20-of-24) from the free throw line. Meanwhile, SEMO shot just 31 percent (4-of-13) from the charity stripe.

In his 100th career start, Joshua Jones joined the 1,000-points club when he knocked down a jumper in the lane to open the second half. Jaron Jones finished the game with 20 points as well and led the Colonels with five rebounds and two steals.

Forward Tyler Stone paced SEMO with 18 points, while Marcus Brister contributed 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

SEMO shot a sizzling 68 percent (17-of-25) from the field in the first half to grab a 36-30 lead at the break. EKU shot just 37 percent (10-of-27) from the field but used five three-pointers to stay in the game. Senior Jeff Allgood connected on a pair of three-pointers, one that snapped an 8-0 SEMO run midway through the first half, and Joshua Jones sank a triple from the wing with less than a minute on the clock to pull the Colonels within four, 34-30. A jumper by Marland Smith on SEMO’s ensuing possession, however, sent the Redhawks into the locker room with a six point advantage.

EKU scored the first seven points of the second half, the final two on a jump hook in the lane by freshman Eric Stutz that gave the Colonels their first lead since early in the first half, 37-36. After the Redhawks responded with seven straight points of their own to take another six point lead, the Colonels used an 8-1 run to get back in the game and took the lead, 49-47, on a three point play by Jaron Jones with 11:55 left in the game.

The Colonels expanded their lead to five, 53-48, and had a chance to make it more, but junior #D’Mitri Riggs# missed both free throws resulting from a technical foul and the Redhawks took advantage, as a Nick Niemczyk three-pointer with 4:59 to play equaled the score at 55-all. SEMO then took the lead, 59-57, on a bucket by Leon Powell with just over two minutes on the clock.

The Colonels return to action on Thursday, January 12 when they travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to face at Austin Peay at 8 p.m.