DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – No. 8 seed Eastern Kentucky University will face No. 4 seed Southern Utah in the semifinals of the 2023 Discount Tire College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tonight on ESPN2.
 
The game, which will feature two of the top scoring teams in the nation, will begin at 7 p.m. ET.  
 
The live radio broadcast of the game is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, or worldwide on EKUSports.com.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU (22-13, 12-6 ASUN) won its second straight overtime game in the CBI on Monday, beating No. 1 seed Indiana State, 89-88.  Isaiah Cozart hit two free throws with 20.1 seconds left in overtime to put the Colonels on top, and then blocked one of ISU's three attempts in the closing seconds to win.
 
-  EKU's 22 wins are tied for the third-most in one season by a Colonel team.  It is the second 20-win season in the last three years for A.W. Hamilton's team.  Hamilton is one of only three coaches in program history to lead the team to multiple 20-win seasons.
 
-  The Colonels are first in the ASUN, and 35th in the nation, in scoring at 78.09 points per game.
 
-  Devontae Blanton scored a career-best 32 points in the quarterfinal overtime win against Indiana State.  He also had eight rebounds and four assists.  In two CBI games, Blanton is averaging 27 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and shooting 60 percent from the field.
 
-  Cozart recorded his sixth double-double of the season, and second straight in the CBI, with 11 points and 10 rebounds versus Indiana State.  In two tournament games, Cozart is averaging 15.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks while shooting 52 percent.
 
-  The Colonels are third in the NCAA with 13.71 offensive rebounds per game and fourth in rebounds per game (40.31).
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Southern Utah is 24-12 overall and finished third in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) with a 12-6 record.  The Thunderbirds beat No. 13 North Alabama, 72-50, in the first round and No. 12 Rice, 81-79, in the quarterfinals.   
 
-  Southern Utah is fourth in the nation in scoring (82.4 ppg).
 
-  Tevian Jones hit a baseline jumper with four seconds left in the game against Rice to break a 79-79 tie and send SUU to the semifinals.
 
-  Five Thunderbirds are averaging more than 10 points per game this season.  Jones leads the team with 17.8 points per game and a team-best 82 three-pointers.  Maizen Fausett is shooting 48 percent from the field this season and is second on the team in scoring (12.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.69 rpg).
 
-  Jones finished with 27 points against Rice, hitting on 12-of-19 from the field.  Fausett had 11 points and nine rebounds.  Southern Utah shot 52 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep (11-of-27).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  EKU leads the all-time series 2-0, winning both ends of a home-and-home series.  The Colonels won 73-64 in Cedar City on Nov. 26, 2014 and 98-85 in Richmond on Nov. 28, 2015. 
 
-  In the most recent meeting, K.J. Bluford came off the bench in the first half to knock down four 3-pointers on four straight possessions, giving EKU a cushion it would never relinquish in a 98-85 victory.  JaVontae Hawkins led the Colonels with 20 points.  The team shot 58 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range.  Southern Utah was led in scoring by Trey Kennedy, who had 20 points.  EKU's defense forced SUU into 19 turnovers and the Colonels scored 30 points off those turnovers.