Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Visiting Murray State used a 25-4 run late in the second half to pull away for a 102-70 win over the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team on Saturday night at McBrayer Arena.
 
After trailing by as many as 18 points in the first half, EKU (11-16, 4-10 OVC) rallied and pulled to within eight when senior Nick Mayo drained a three-pointer to make it 63-55 with 11:12 to play in the game.
 
First-place Murray State (21-4, 12-2 OVC), however, responded with a run that sealed the game. Devin Gilmore converted a layup to spark the run and, less than seven minutes later, Tevin Brown ended it with a free throw that made it a 29-point game, 88-59.
 
Mayo finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, his fourth double-double in EKU's last six games. The senior was 10-of-18 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep.
 
Freshman Jomaru Brown contributed 19 points and was 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Fellow freshman Tre King just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, eight of which were offensive.
 
As a team, EKU was a perfect 15-of-15 from the free throw line.
 
Ja Morant led Murray State with 25 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds.
 
The Racers shot 61 percent (37-of-61) from the field and 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from deep.
 
Eastern narrowly won the turnover battle on the night, 18-17. However, Murray State out-rebounded EKU, 36-31. The Racers also outscored the Colonels in the paint, 54-18.
 
Murray State came out hot and grabbed an 18-point advantage when Darnell Cowart sank a bucket to make it 30-12 at the 9:35 mark of the first half.
 
Sparked by Brown, EKU went on a 13-7 run late in the first half. The Colonels cut the deficit to nine when Brown buried a jumper to make it 44-35 with 1:17 on the clock. A dunk by Gilmore just before the buzzer sent the Racers into the locker room with an 11-point lead.
 
Murray State took a 16-point lead early in the second half, but Eastern stormed back. A bucket by Brown sparked a 13-5 EKU run. A three-pointer by Mayo finished it and brought the Colonels all the way back to within eight, 63-55.
 
Attendance for the game was 5,460. It was the largest crowd at McBrayer Arena in over a decade.
 
EKU hits the road next week to face Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State.