Box Score

TROY, Ala. – For the second straight game, Eastern Kentucky University nearly erased a double digit second half deficit, but couldn't' complete the comeback in an 88-81 loss at Troy on Thursday.
 
The Colonels trailed by 10, 76-66, with just over six minutes left to play before using a 10-2 run to draw within two.  Isaiah Cozart started the rally attempt with a dunk.  Michael Moreno's 3-ponter from the left corner got EKU within five, 78-73.  Collin Cooper went to the line after being fouled on a 3-point attempt and hit all three to cap the run and make it a 2-point game, 78-76, with 2:14 to play. 
 
Thomas Dowd put a stop to the Colonel run with a 3-pointer at the 1:53 mark.  Cozart's two free throws with 1:31 remaining cut it to three, 81-78.  The Trojans scored the next five points.  A lay-up from fields with 31 seconds left put the home team ahead 84-78 and essentially seal the victory.
 
EKU (4-7) out-rebounded the home team by 10, 40-30, but was slowed by 16 turnovers.  Troy committed only five and out-scored the Colonels 16-8 off turnovers.  The Trojans also went to the free throw line 42 times, converting 28.  EKU was 25-for-29 at the stripe for 86 percent.
 
Leland Walker scored a team-best 20 points.  Cooper finished with 13 points.  Moreno contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.
 
Christyon Eugene posted a game-best 24 points for Troy (6-6).  Myles Rigsby went 13-for-14 at the free throw line and scored 18 points. 
 
The Colonels tied the game for the third time in the first half, 41-41, on a lay-up from Walker with 1:35 on the clock.  However, the Trojans scored the final seven of the period to take a 48-41 lead into the locker room at the break.
 
EKU shot 41 percent from the field and hit five 3-pointers in the first half, but the Colonels turned the ball over 11 times while Troy lost it just three times.
 
The Trojans scored the first three points of the second half to extend it to a 10-0 run and take their largest lead of the game to that point, 51-41.  A 3-pointer from Victor Valdes pushed the margin to 10 again, 62-52, with 12:59 to play.  Troy's largest lead of the game of 12, came on two free throws from Rigsby that made it 68-56 with 10:56 to go.
 
The Trojans shot 46 percent from the field for the game and went 10-of-24 (42 percent) from behind the arc.  The Colonels made 43 percent of their shots and hit 10-of-26 (39 percent) from deep.
 
EKU's two-game road trip to Alabama will conclude on Saturday at the University of Alabama.  Tip-off against the Crimson Tide is set for 4 p.m. ET.