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Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

Colonels
Anthony Barham

Men's Basketball

Colonels Can Clinch OVC Tournament Spot Saturday At Austin Peay

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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. –
Eastern Kentucky is one win away from securing a spot in the 8-team Ohio Valley Conference Tournament field, but will have to exorcise some demons from the past to do it on Saturday at Austin Peay.

The Colonels (18-9, 8-5 OVC) have lost eight straight games against the Governors (11-16, 5-8 OVC) in Clarksville. Eastern has appeared in 11 straight OVC Tournaments. EKU and Murray State are the only two teams to earn spots in each of the last 11 conference tourneys.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. The live radio broadcast is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, and can be heard worldwide on EKUSports.com. A live video broadcast is available on OVCDigitalNetwork.com.

It will be a full week since the Colonels last played. Eastern shot 65 percent and limited Jacksonville State to 42 percent shooting in an 86-65 road victory last Saturday. Tarius Johnson had a career-best 19 points to lead Eastern. Glenn Cosey finished with 15 points and five assists. Orlando Williams hit three big second half 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.

Eastern Kentucky has allowed 70 or more points in five of its last eight conference games. EKU is 14-0 this season when holding opponents under 70 points.

Austin Peay (77.9 ppg) allows the third most points in the OVC. Eastern has the second best defense (70.0 ppg) in the conference. EKU is third in the nation in turnover margin (+6.7). The Governors average 15.6 turnovers per game, second most in the conference.

When these teams last met – Feb. 20, 2013 in Richmond – Eastern Kentucky tied the program record for most wins in a season with a 91-53 victory over Austin Peay. The Colonels out-scored APSU 14-4 to start the game and never looked back. The Governors closed to within five, 17-12, but never got any closer.

Eastern answered with a 22-3 run that included six 3-pointers, three of which came from Cosey and two from Timmy Knipp. Cosey's triple capped the run and stretched the margin to 24 points, 39-15. EKU left no doubt by opening the second half with a 21-8 run. Knipp's dunk midway through the second half gave Eastern a lead of 32 points, 68-36. Eastern never let up, taking a 41-point lead, 91-50, in the final minute on a 3-pointer by Ryan Parsons.

Cosey led Eastern Kentucky with 17 points. Corey Walden added 15 and Johnson finished with 12 points. Travis Betran led APSU with 13 points.

Austin Peay is coming off a 90-88 double overtime loss at Morehead State on Wednesday. The Governors shot 51 percent from the field, but turned the ball over 21 times. Betran had a team-best 24 points.

APSU has the third-best field goal percentage (48.7 percent) in the OVC. EKU's last nine opponents have shot a combined 52.5 percent from the field. The Colonels have the third-worst field goal percentage defense (48 percent) in the OVC.

Austin Peay leads the OVC and is 34th in the nation with 5.4 blocks per game.
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