Box Score (PDF)

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team pulled to within eight points of Kentucky with just over six minutes to play, but the No. 4 Wildcats closed out the game on a 15-2 run to beat the Colonels, 88-67, on Wednesday night at Rupp Arena.
 
EKU (7-3) trailed the entire game, but never backed down from the much-bigger Kentucky team (8-1). In all, the Colonels cut a double-digit deficit to single-digits seven times in the game.
 
After trailing by 14 at halftime, Eastern opened the second half on a 10-2 run and got to within six, 52-46, when freshman Nick Mayo converted a fast-break layup with 17:47 remaining in the game.
 
When UK pushed its lead back to 16, 69-53, EKU responded again, this time with a 12-4 run that culminated with a pair of free throws by sophomore Paul Jackson that made it 73-65 with just over six minutes to play.
 
However, the Colonels did not score over the next four minutes, as the Wildcats pulled away late with a 15-2 run.
 
Redshirt junior JaVontae Hawkins led the Colonels with 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Senior Jarelle Reischel added 12 points and six rebounds. Jackson tallied 10 points along with three assists and only one turnover.
 
The up-tempo Colonels won the turnover battle on the night, 17-13.
 
Kentucky's length gave EKU trouble shooting from deep, though. The Colonels came into the game ranked sixth in the country in three-point field goal percentage (44.3), but shot only 28 percent (5-of-18) from long-range on Wednesday night.
 
Alex Poythress posted a game-high 21 points for Kentucky. In all, five Wildcats scored in double figures.
 
After Kentucky outscored EKU 12-2 in the opening minutes, the Colonels used an 11-2 run to cut the deficit to one, 14-13, on a three-pointer by senior K.J. Bluford with 13:44 on the clock.
 
Eastern was still within six of the Wildcats when Jackson knocked down a jumper to make it 36-30 with 4:23 to play in the first half; however, Kentucky closed out the half on a 14-6 run to make it 50-36 at the break.
 
EKU returns to action Saturday night at Marshall. Tip is set for 7:00 p.m.