Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Colonels are 6-0 in conference play for the first time since the 1959-60 season after a 75-59 victory over Jacksonville on Thursday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
The 1959-60 EKU team started league play 7-0, which ties the 1952-53 squad for the best conference start in program history.
 
The Colonels (10-9, 6-0 ASUN) will wrap up their home stand on Saturday against North Florida.  The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.  Saturday will be Youth Sports Day presented by Coca-Cola.  There will be a mini basketball hoop giveaway and a postgame autograph session with the team.  All youth athletes and their families and friends are invited to attend, and can receive two FREE tickets.
 
EKU was down by five early, but sized control of the game with an 11-0 run fueled by eight points from Turner Buttry.  Collin Cooper got it started with a 3-pointer from the left wing.  Buttry's 3-pointer from the right wing with 11:46 on the clock in the first half gave the maroon and white the lead, 13-12, and the Colonels never relinquished it.
 
Buttry drove to the hoop for a lay-up and then converted a traditional 3-point play to cap the run.  EKU went from down five to in front by six, 18-12, with 10:23 to go in the opening half.
 
The Dolphins (10-10, 1-5 ASUN) closed within two before eight unanswered put the Colonels in front by double figures.  Leland Walker scored the final four points of the mini run.  His lay-up with 6:42 to go before the break made it 28-18.  EKU went in front by 11, 33-22, on another 3-pointer from Cooper.  The home squad led by 10, 35-25, at halftime.
 
The Colonels scored the first 10 points of the second half to essentially put the game away.  Jacksonville went 5:40 without scoring, and 8:06 without making a field goal.  Robert McCray's two free throws at the 16:02 mark was JU's first points of the second half.  McCray's dunk with 15:24 left in the game was the first field goal for the Dolphins since the 3:30 mark of the first half.
 
A free throw and then a spinning lay-up in the lane from Isaiah Cozart pushed the margin to 20 for the first time, 45-25.  Another three from Cooper gave the Colonels their largest lead of the game at 21 points, 54-33, with 15:40 left in the game.
 
Cooper hit 4-of-7 from deep and finished with 14 points off the bench.  Cozart posted his ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.  Walker handed out 10 assists and scored nine points.
 
In a battle of the top two rebounding teams in the Atlantic Sun Conference, EKU out-rebounded Jacksonville by two, including pulling down 12 offensive rebounds.  The Dolphins average the most turnovers in the ASUN this season (14.58) and gave it away 16 times tonight.
 
McCray scored a game-best 21 for Jacksonville.