Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – EKU is one win away from capturing its first regular season conference championship since 1979, after holding on to beat North Alabama, 75-72, on Thursday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
With three games remaining, EKU (16-11, 11-2 ASUN) is now two games in front of second place Stetson in the Atlantic Sun Conference standings.  A win in their final regular season home game, on Saturday against Central Arkansas, will guarantee the Colonels at least a share of the 2023-24 ASUN regular season title.
 
Saturday's game will begin at 1 p.m.  The Senior Day ceremony, honoring Collin Cooper, John Ukomadu, Isaiah Cozart, Michael Moreno and Devontae Blanton will be held before the game.
 
The Colonels built a 10-point lead three times in the first half, and led by eight, 58-50, with 11:14 remaining in the game.  The Lions would not go away.  UNA used an 11-3 run to tie the contest for the first time since 2-2.  Will Soucie's jumper with 8:06 to play made it 61-61. 
 
Leland Walker hit a jumper with 7:38 on the clock to break the tie and EKU led the rest of the game.  Walker added a pair of free throws to push the margin to four, 65-61.  North Alabama closed to within one on two occasions, including 67-66 on Dallas Howell's lay-up with 4:30 to go.  Blanton hit a jumper on the other end, and after a turnover by the Lions, Tayshawn Comer connected on a lay-up to make it a 5-point game, 71-66, with 3:25 left.
 
A lay-up from Damian Forrest closed the gap to three, 73-70, for UNA, and Jacari Lane's jumper with 50 seconds to play made it a 3-point game again, 75-72.  Blanton missed a shot at the other end, giving the visitors a chance to tie in the final 20 seconds.  Comer came up with a steal with seven seconds to go, but Cozart missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation.  Lane got off a 3-point shot at the buzzer that circled the rim before falling out.
 
Cozart finished with 12 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks, his 12th double-double of the season.  When the senior from Richmond blocked a shot attempt by Tim Smith Jr. with 6:01 to go in the first half, he broke his on program single season record of 94 blocks, set last season.  He now has 98 blocks this year.
 
Walker finished with 24 points and four assists.  Comer had 14 points.
 
Lane led North Alabama (13-15, 7-7 ASUN) with 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting. 
 
EKU out-rebounded the Lions by two and shot 50 percent (7-of-14) from 3-point range.  UNA was limited to 31 percent shooting from deep (5-for-16).