Box Score

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Eastern Kentucky cut a 23-point deficit to five, but the Colonels' comeback bid fell short in an 87-69 loss at Cincinnati on Sunday.
 
Devontae Blanton was three assists short of a triple-double, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.  Cooper Robb had 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and no turnovers.
 
The two teams exchanged a series of runs to start the game.  The Bearcats (3-0) scored the first eight, but EKU came back with seven straight on a jumper from Blanton, a 3-pointer from Robb and a layup by Dardan Kapiti. 
 
The next run belonged to Cincinnati.  After scoring 14 of the next 15, UC led by 14, 22-8, with 12:11 remaining in the opening half.  A string of 11 unanswered later in the half stretched a 12-point lead to 20-plus for the Bearcats.  Jeremiah Davenport's two free throws capped it and gave the home squad it's largest lead of the game at 23 points, 38-15, with 6:35 to go in the first.
 
The Colonels (1-2) shaved eight points off the deficit by the end of the half.  After Ody Oguama's lay-up with 1:56 on the clock put UC ahead 49-29, the Bearcats didn't score again the rest of the period.  Kapiti accounted for four of the final five points and his lay-up with 22 ticks to go set the halftime score at 49-34.
 
Blanton scored five of Eastern Kentucky's first seven points of the second half.  His 3-pointer capped a 7-2 run and had the Colonels within 10 at 51-41.  Blanton's dunk off a Tayshawn Comer steal with 15:39 left to play in the game got the visitors within single digits, 55-46.  After Michael Moreno drew a charge, Robb knocked in a 3-pointer to make it a six-point game, 55-49.  Moreno drained a three with 13:55 to play cut what had been a 23-point deficit to five, 57-52.
 
Cincinnati turned the ball over on its next possession, but Comer missed on a lay-up that would have made it a three-point game.  David DeJulius put in a 3-pointer at the other end to stretch the margin back to eight, 60-52.  EKU would get within six twice, but never any closer. 
 
Robb's jumper with 5:32 showing on the clock made it 73-67, however the Colonels scored just two more points the rest of the game.  Cincinnati closed it out with a 10-0 run, including going 6-of-8 from the free throw line.
 
The Bearcats were led by DeJulius with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field.
 
The Colonels will return to action Friday for three games in three days at the Capital Classic hosted by Georgia State.  EKU opens with GSU on Friday at 6 p.m. ET.  Eastern Kentucky takes on UNC Asheville on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.  The event concludes for the Colonels on Sunday against Texas A&M-Commerce at 1 p.m. ET.