Box Score

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – EKU hit on 9-of-14 three-point attempts in the first half and then held off a late charge to beat East Tennessee, 82-78, on Friday at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tennessee.
 
The Colonels (2-0) hit six of their nine first half 3-pointers in the first 10 and a half minutes of the game.  A pair of 3-pointers from Jordan Crawford, sandwiched around an ETSU basket, gave the visitors a 20-7 lead.  A 3-pointer from the top of the key by Mayar Wol made it a 30-12 game.  Wol's putback gave the Colonels a 20-point advantage, 34-14, with 9:32 to go in the opening period.
 
The Bucs (1-1) kept the margin from getting any wider with a 13-5 run.  A 3-pointer from John Buggs III and a free throw by Jaden Seymour capped it and closed the gap to 12, 39-27.  East Tennessee scored the final four points of the period and trailed by 13 at the break, 51-38.
 
After Devontae Blanton put back a miss to start the second half for a 15-point edge, ETSU went on an 11-4 run.  Buggs made it an 8-point game, 57-49, with a 3-pointer at the 15:13 mark.  Seymour's jumper with 9:43 to play got the home team within six, 68-62.  Five straight by the Bucs shortened the deficit to five, 72-67.
 
Quimari Peterson's jumper with 2:23 to go had East Tennessee within four, 75-71.  Crawford answered at the other end with EKU's 12th 3-pointer of the game.  His make from the right wing with 1:38 remaining had the Colonels ahead by seven, 78-71. 
 
The Bucs were within four again, 80-76, with 20 seconds to go after Buggs connected on a jumper, but George Kimble III made a pair of free throws with 12 seconds on the clock to secure the win.  ETSU made an uncontested layup in the final seconds to set the final score.
 
EKU shot 64 percent (9-of-14) from behind the arc in the first half and finished 12-for-25 (48 percent) for the game.  The Colonels shot 49 percent from the field.
 
Blanton led the winners with 20 points to go along with seven assists, five rebounds and two steals.  Crawford hit 6-of-10 from the field, including 5-of-7 from deep, for 17 points.  Wol had 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals.  Yvens Paul added eight points, five rebounds and four blocks.
 
Peterson finished with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting for East Tennessee.  Seymour had 18 points and nine rebounds.  Buggs hit four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points.
 
ETSU shot 43 percent from the field, but made just 6-of-24 (25 percent) from behind the arc.
 
The Colonels will play at Clemson on Tuesday.  Tipoff at Littlejohn Coliseum is scheduled for 7 p.m.