Box Score (PDF)

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Senior Jarelle Reischel and junior JaVontae Hawkins combined to score 52 points in the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team's 87-81 loss at East Tennessee State on Friday night at Freedom Hall.
 
EKU (8-5) trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half, but the Colonels rallied to tie it up, 79-79, on a three-pointer by Reischel with 1:48 remaining in the game.
 
ETSU (5-5), however, responded with a three-pointer from Ge'Lawn Guyn on its next possession to retake the lead, and the Buccaneers never looked back. T.J. Cromer knocked down a jumper with just over 30 seconds on the clock to make it a two-possession game and then sank two free throws in the waning seconds to seal the win.
 
Reischel and Hawkins – one of the highest scoring teammate tandems in the country – lived up to their billing on Friday. Reischel scored 29 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Hawkins just missed his first-career double-double, pouring in 23 points and pulling down nine rebounds.
 
Freshman Nick Mayo added 11 points and six rebounds for the Colonels.
 
Eastern shot 53 percent (26-of-49) from the field and 46 percent (11-of-24) from three-point range, but turned the ball over 21 times. ETSU converted EKU's 21 turnovers into 33 points.
 
Guyn paced the Buccaneers with 27 points, while Cromer contributed 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
 
Eastern jumped out to an early 14-point lead in the game, as a three-pointer by senior K.J. Bluford made it 21-7 in favor of the Colonels with 12:11 remaining in the first half.
 
However, ETSU responded with a 15-3 run and tied it up, 27-27, on a pair of free throws by Deuce Bello with 6:17 on the clock.
 
The Colonels went back ahead and took a four-point lead, 36-32, on a three-point play by Reischel, but Guyn hit a three-pointer just before halftime to cut EKU's lead to one, 36-35.
 
The game was tied, 48-48, at the 15-minute mark of the second half, before ETSU went on a 17-4 run and grabbed a 65-53 lead on a triple by Guyn with 10:42 showing on the clock.
 
Eastern was not finished, though, as the Colonels battled back and tied it, 71-71, on a three-pointer by Hawkins with 4:24 remaining. Another three-pointer by Reischel tied the game again at 79-79, before the Buccaneers pulled away down the stretch.
 
EKU returns to action on Monday night when the Colonels play at No. 20 West Virginia at 7:00 p.m.