RICHMOND, Ky. – A back-and-forth second half, which saw a buzzer beating three-pointer from Tayshawn Comer to force overtime, led North Alabama (18-11, 10-6 ASUN) to an 98-93 win over EKU (18-11, 11-5 ASUN) that snapped a 12-game home winning streak on Senior Night.
 
Devontae Blanton led the Colonels with 27 points shooting 11-of-24 (.458) from the floor, setting his season-high single game points value. 
 
Michael Moreno, one of two EKU student-athletes to be honored on senior night, recorded 16 points and a team-leading 11 rebounds.
 
Leland Walker (15), Isaiah Cozart (12), and Comer (14) found themselves in double-figure scoring in the loss.
 
Michael Wardy scored five points (2-2 FG) as the other senior Colonel honored on Saturday.
 
EKU opened Saturday's contest with UNA on a 13-9 run off made 3-pointers by Wardy and Comer. North Alabama would stage a 10-point swing after the under-12 media timeout to take its first lead of the game at 19-17. The Lions extended their lead to six of back-to-back threes. Walker, a freshman guard from Indianapolis, pushed a personal seven-point swing with 2:09 remaining in the first half, bringing EKU within five. UNA's favored pace of play kept the Colonels out of striking distance at 48-40 to end the frame despite a halfcourt buzzer beater from Moreno.
 
North Alabama continued its pressure on both ends of the ball well into the second half, EKU narrowed the gap to one point twice heading to the under-8 media timeout. Blanton continued his offensive showcase, scoring eight of EKU's 15 points through the first 12 minutes of the second frame. Moreno pushed the Colonels back into contention, dishing a rim hanging dunk to teammate Cozart and hitting two free throws to give EKU its first lead at 69-68 since early in the game.
 
Moreno's added pressure late in the second half helped extend EKU's lead to three off an up-and-under layup with 4:16 left in the game. A three by UNA's KJ Johnson, who led the lions with 31 points, gave the visiting squad the 73-71 lead back with 3:02 left on the clock. Blanton tied the contest for the third time at 73 with a hook shot from the left block, a pair of made free throws tied the game at 75 for the fourth time a few ticks later. Despite five UNA made shots from the charity stripe in the final 45 seconds of play, Comer hit EKU's second buzzer beater of the night to equalize at 80 and send both teams to overtime.
 
Blanton scored off the tip for EKU's second lead, UNA would again answer with a made three, to retake the lead. The Lions hit consecutive layups to take an 89-86 lead with 55.5 seconds left in overtime. UNA concluded the contest with seven made free throws to claim the win on EKU's senior day, 98-93.
 
North Alabama led EKU in two of three shooting splits in Saturday's contest, shooting 49 percent from the line and 48 percent from three.
 
EKU led UNA in rebounds (48), assists (19), and steals (6).
 
The Colonels return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 22 against North Florida for their final road stand of the season before the ASUN Tournament, beginning on Feb. 27.