Box Score (PDF) I McHale Postgame Interview I Boyd Postgame Interview I Davis Postgame Interview

MARTIN, Tenn. – Freshman Dedric Boyd poured in a career-high 31 points to lead the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team to a 78-70 road win at UT Martin on Thursday night at the Elam Center.
 
Boyd connected on 9-of-12 shots from the field, 5-of-8 from deep and 8-of-8 from the free throw line to finish with the most points by any Colonel in a game this season.
 
Junior Jackson Davis, meanwhile, scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while senior Dillon Avare came off the bench to drain four three-pointers and score 12 points.
 
Junior Nick Mayo – EKU's leading scorer at 17.3 points-per-game – finished with only two points, but grabbed a team-best 11 rebounds and dished out a team-best six assists.
 
UT Martin (6-12, 1-4 OVC) led 5-3 at the 17:28 mark of the first half. However, Avare came off the bench and sank a three-pointer from the corner to give EKU (7-11, 1-4 OVC) the advantage, and the Colonels led the rest of the way.
 
Eastern grabbed its largest lead, 59-43, when Davis sank a jumper with 9:56 remaining in the game.
 
The Skyhawks trimmed EKU's lead to seven, 75-68, when Matthew Butler knocked down a foul shot with 54 seconds left. However, the Colonels converted 3-of-4 free throws in the final minute to seal the key road victory.
 
EKU shot 17-of-21 (81 percent) from the stripe on the night. UT Martin shot only 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from the foul line.
 
The Colonels sank a season-best 11 three-pointers in the win.
 
Butler paced the Skyhawks with 22 points.
 
EKU stays on the road to face Southeast Missouri on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. ET in Cape Girardeau.