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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Host Tennessee Tech led seemingly from start to finish in a 74-67 win over the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team Wednesday night in the Eblen Center. The Colonels (14-14, 6-8 OVC) have now dropped three straight league games.

Tennessee Tech (17-11, 9-6) shot 53.2 percent (25-of-47) from the floor, including 59.1 percent in the second half to hold off the Colonels.

Jud Dillard led TTU with his eighth double-double of the season – 20 points and 10 rebounds. Zach Bailey came off the bench to chip in with a season-best 17 points. Meanwhile, Kevin Murphy, the OVC’s leading scorer at 21.0 ppg, only managed to score five points.

Senior Jaron Jones paced Eastern Kentucky with 21 points, marking the 11th time he has reached the 20-point plateau in 2011-12. Fellow senior Joshua Jones added 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.

Eastern led twice early in the contest at 3-2 and 5-4, but Tennessee Tech regrouped to go up by nine points, 23-14. However, EKU rallied and capitalized on a Joshua Jones steal and lay-up right before halftime to make the score, 34-30.

Six straight TTU points then put the Golden Eagles ahead by 11 points, 44-33, early in the second half. The Colonels made one more rally to close within two points following a Jaron Jones old-fashioned three-point play, 54-52.

From there, Tennessee Tech answered with 10 unanswered points, keyed by a Zac Swansey three-pointer, to grab a sturdy hold on the lead. Eastern Kentucky fought back to within four points in the final minute, but would get no closer.

Tennessee Tech has now won four straight meetings over EKU.

Eastern Kentucky now steps out of conference play to host IPFW this Saturday, Feb. 18. Tip time is set for 7 p.m.