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Box Score

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky’s men’s basketball team set a school record with its 23rd win of the season, a 69-54 victory at Tennessee Tech on Thursday.  The Colonels also clinched the No. 3 seed in next week’s Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

Eastern also stays alive for a share of the OVC regular season championship.  The Colonels will have to beat Tennessee State on Saturday, and Belmont will have to lose to Jacksonville State, in order to claim a share of the title.

EKU (23-7, 12-3 OVC) broke open a two-point game at halftime by starting the second stanza with a 19-4 run.  Mike DiNunno capped the run with a basket at the 14:21 mark. 

Eastern put the game away with an 8-0 spurt that stretched the margin to 23.  After the Golden Eagles had closed to within 15, Marcus Lewis scored four straight, Timmy Knipp made two free throws and Glenn Cosey added a basket for a 57-34 lead with 7:05 left to play.

Eastern Kentucky shot 70.8 percent (17-for-24) in the second half after making 32 percent in the first half.  The Colonels made 10 of their first 12 shots in the second half.

Corey Walden finished with a team-best 18 points.  Cosey added 14 and Lewis contributed 10 points, all in the second half.

The Colonels committed 14 fewer turnovers (8-22) and out-scored the home team 27-7 off turnovers.

Jud Dillard scored 21 points for Tech (11-17, 4-11 OVC).

The Colonels will conclude their 2012-13 regular season schedule on Saturday at Tennessee State.  Tip-off in Nashville is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.

NOTES
Eastern has already clinched a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament for the 11th straight season.  The Colonels also have clinched a top-4 seed, which means at least a first round bye.

As the No. 3 seed, Eastern Kentucky will play the winner of the game between the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds.  Southeast Missouri has claimed the No. 6 seed.

EKU is fifth in the nation in free throw percentage (77 percent).  The Colonels made 85.7 percent (12-of-14) tonight. 

Eastern is fourth in the nation in turnover margin (-5.9), but finished with 14 fewer turnovers than Tech.  Before tonight’s game, the Colonels had averaged 8.4 fewer turnovers than their opponents in the previous eight games.

Eastern Kentucky has shot 50 percent or better in eight of its last 12 games.

Before tonight’s game, Tennessee Tech’s Dennis Ogbe had averaged 17 points over his last seven games.  He finished with two points.

Eastern Kentucky leads the all-time series 70-56.  The Colonels are 27-34 in games played in Cookeville.