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Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky overcame a 17-point first half deficit and led by four with six and a half minutes to go, but couldn’t hold off Belmont in an 83-76 road loss.  The game featured two of the three remaining unbeaten Ohio Valley Conference teams.

The Bruins (14-4, 5-0 OVC) went up by 17, 29-12, with 4:52 left in the first half.  The Colonels (14-4, 4-1 OVC) whittled the deficit to nine at halftime.  Eastern came out in the second half and used a 17-6 run to take the lead.

Timmy Knipp hit two three-pointers and Orlando Williams and Mike DiNunno each knocked down one during the run.  DiNunno’s triple capped it and put the visitors on top 41-39, their first lead of the game, with 17:02 to go.  Another DiNunno three-pointer and two free throws with 6:39 remaining had EKU in front by four, 69-65.

However, Belmont rolled off 12 unanswered to take an eight-point lead with 3:26 showing on the clock.  Back-to-back three-pointers by DiNunno made it a two-point game, but that’s as close as the Colonels would get.

DiNunno scored a game-best and season-high 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field.  Knipp finished with a career-best 13.  Williams added 10 points, six assists, three steals and three rebounds.

Ian Clark had 22 points for Belmont.  He made 7-of-10 from the field, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc.  Blake Jenkins added 21 and Kerron Johnson finished with 15.

Belmont held a 38-19 rebounding advantage, but committed five more turnovers than Eastern.  Both teams shot 50 percent in the second half.  EKU made 48 percent for the game while the Bruins connected on 52 percent.

The Colonels’ two-game OVC East Division road trip continues on Saturday at Jacksonville State.  The game will air live on FOX Sports South with tip-off scheduled for 2:35 p.m. ET.

NOTES
Eastern Kentucky is ranked 17th in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25.  Belmont is No. 8.

Belmont had beaten its first four OVC opponents by an average of 28.5 points per game but won by seven tonight.

Sophomore Timmy Knipp scored a career-best 13 points.  His previous high was 12 at Mississippi State last season.

Belmont entered the game second in the OVC in turnover margin (-3.47), but was minus five against the Colonels.

Belmont is now 78-12 against conference opponents at the Curb Event Center.

Belmont now leads the all-time series 2-1.  The two teams will meet in Richmond on January 26.