Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eastern Kentucky University beat Jacksonville, 56-52, on Friday and earned the No. 3 seed in next week's ASUN Conference Tournament.  The Colonels will host No. 6 North Alabama on Tuesday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
Tuesday's quarterfinal game will begin at 7 p.m.
 
Cooper Robb hit four 3-pointers and finished with 12 points to go along with six rebounds against Jacksonville.  Devontae Blanton scored a game-best 13 points.  Michael Moreno had 11 points and six rebounds.  Isaiah Cozart grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots
 
EKU (19-12, 12-6 ASUN) held the Dolphins scoreless for more than six minutes, taking a 12-point lead, 54-42, on Tayshawn Comer's 3-pointer from the right wing with 4:44 left to play.  Jacksonville came right back and rolled off a late 10-0 run to get within two.  Kevion Nolan's lay-up with 1:40 left made it a 54-52 game.
 
The Colonels missed a 3-point attempt on the other end, but Cozart secured the rebound for a fresh shot clock.  Blanton let it tick down to about seven seconds before driving to the basket.  As the defense collapsed around him, the junior found a streaking Comer along the baseline.  The freshman guard finished a reverse lay-up to give the visitors a four-point lead with 47.9 seconds on the clock.
 
Jacksonville missed on a 3-point try with 43 seconds to go and then had another 3-point attempt blocked by Cozart with 23 ticks left.  Blanton grabbed the rebound and was fouled, but missed the front end of a one-and-one.  Nolan put up another 3-pointer for the Dolphins with 12 seconds to go, but missed.  Cozart grabbed the rebound and passed ahead to Blanton who dribbled out the final seconds.
 
After scoring 10 of the first 12 points of the game the Colonels saw Jacksonville go on a 14-3 run.  Omar Payne's dunk gave the Dolphins their first lead at 14-13.  His hook shot capped the run and staked the home team to a 16-13 lead with 9:21 left in the opening half.
 
Robb's triple from the left wing tied it at 16-16.  Another Robb 3-pointer tied it again at 26-26 with 3:50 on the clock.  That basket started an 11-0 run for the Colonels to end the first half.  Robb's fourth 3-pointer of the period, with six seconds left, sent EKU to the locker room on top by eight, 34-26.
 
Moreno started the second half with a three to stretch it to a 14-0 run and an 11-point advantage.  The Dolphins slowly whittled away at the deficit and drew within four, 46-42, on a jumper from Dylan O'Hearn with 10:32 to play.  JU didn't score again until the 4:18 mark as the Colonels built their 12-point lead.
 
Jordan Davis led Jacksonville (13-16, 6-12 ASUN) with 10 points.