Box Score
RICHMOND, Ky. – Five players scored in double figures and nine of the 11 that saw action scored at least two points as Eastern Kentucky rolled to a 96-81 exhibition game victory over visiting Urbana on Friday.
Senior
Corey Walden led the way for the Colonels with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. He made 5-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-4 from deep, and all eight of his free throw attempts.
Newcomer
Denzel Richardson added 16 points and five rebounds.
Eric Stutz and
Jaylen Babb-Harrison each scored 15 points and newcomer
Jonathan Hood added 11 off the bench.
As a team, EKU made 53 percent of its shots from the field, 43 percent from behind the arc and 21-of-23 (91 percent) at the free throw line. Eight of the 11 players that got in the game contributed to a total of 19 assists.
Defensively, the Colonels allowed the Blue Knights to make 11 three-pointers and shoot 46 percent from the field, but Eastern had 14 steals leading to 21 Urbana turnovers.
Carlas Jackson had a team-best 20 points for Urbana. Mike Newton and Christopher Cromity added 13 points each for the visitors.
The Colonels will open their 2014-15 regular season in a week at home against Savannah State University. Tip-off at McBrayer Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14. The team will unveil the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship banner before the game.
Urbana scored the first five points of the game, but Eastern Kentucky answered with a 17-4 run. Babb-Harrison had two three-pointers and scored eight points during the run. Three-pointers by Jackson allowed the Blue Knights to grab the lead briefly at 22-20 with 9:38 left in the first half, and tie it for the fourth and final time at 27-27 with 8:04 on the clock.
EKU was in front by five when Walden and Richardson combined for five straight to double the lead to 10, 44-34, with 2:37 to go before the break. Hood's three-pointer with one second left in the first stanza sent the Colonels to the locker room in front by 12, 54-42.
The Blue Knights got within eight in the first four minutes of the second half, but Eastern Kentucky maintained a double digit lead over the final 15 minutes of the game. Hood's two free throws with eight seconds left in the game gave the Colonels their largest lead of the contest at 17 points, 96-79.
