Box Score (PDF)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team led No. 19 West Virginia midway through the first half, but the Mountaineers closed the half on a 40-8 run en route to an 84-59 win over the Colonels on Monday night at WVU Coliseum.
 
Playing without leading scorer and rebounder, senior Jarelle Reischel (back), EKU (8-6) was led on the night by junior JaVontae Hawkins, who finished with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Junior Jaylen Babb-Harrison came off the bench to contribute 15 points, while sophomore Greg King scored seven points and grabbed a career-high six rebounds.
 
Eastern shot 9-of-23 from three-point range on the night, the ninth time the Colonels have hit more than nine three-pointers in a game this season; however, the Colonels also shot a season-low 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from the foul line.
 
Jaysean Paige led four WVU players in double figures with 17 points.
 
EKU started quick and led by as many as four points, 14-10, following a pair of free throws by Babb-Harrison with 11:43 remaining in the first half.
 
WVU (10-1), however, regrouped and took the lead, 15-14, on a three-pointer by Jevon Carter with just under 11 minutes on the clock. Carter's three-pointer helped spark a 40-8 WVU run that ended when Esa Ahmad threw down a thunderous dunk in the lane just before halftime to make it 50-22 at the break.
 
EKU was held scoreless for just under six minutes during WVU's decisive run late in the first half.
 
The Colonels shot nearly 60 percent (13-of-22) from the field and outscored the Mountaineers, 37-34, in the second half; however, the first-half deficit was too much to overcome.
 
WVU outscored EKU 30-16 in the paint and 26-7 on second-chance points.
 
The Colonels return to action next Tuesday, December 29, versus Manhattan College. Tip time from McBrayer Arena is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.