Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University clinched at least a share of the 2023-24 Atlantic Sun Conference regular season championship with a 95-82 victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
The Colonels have not yet secured the No. 1 seed for the ASUN Tournament, which comes with home court advantage throughout the tourney.  EKU holds a two-game lead in the conference standings over second place Stetson with two games remaining in the regular season.  The Colonels can clinch the No. 1 seed with one more win, or one more Stetson loss.
 
EKU (17-11, 12-2 ASUN) led Central Arkansas by as many as 19 in the first half, but the Bears battled all the way back and closed to within five. 
 
Michael Moreno's 3-pointer from the right wing with 6:46 remaining in the first half put the Colonels on top by 19, 32-13.  Starting with Carl Daughtery's 3-pointer at the 6:30 mark, UCA scored 27 points in the remaining minutes of the first half.  Tucker Anderson's 3-pointer with eight seconds to go before intermission made it a 7-point game at the break, 47-40.
 
Masai Oloworkere's 3-pointer almost three minutes into the second half cut the deficit for Central Arkansas to five, 53-48.  The Colonels scored the next four points, including a 3-pointer from Leland Walker to go back in front by nine, 57-48.  The Bears never got closer than six the rest of the way.
 
Daughtery's jumper with 12:54 remaining cut it to 63-57.  EKU answered with an 11-4 run to seal the game.  Moreno and Tayshawn Comer capped it with a pair of lay-ups for a 13-point advantage, 74-61.  The Colonels moved in front by 16, 88-72, on Devontae Blanton's 3-pointer with 4:14 to go.
 
Isaiah Cozart finished with a double-double, his 13th of the season and 20th of his career.  The senior from Richmond had 22 points and tied his career-high with 17 rebounds.  He also blocked three shots.
 
Comer had 22 points, five assists, two steals and no turnovers.  Blanton contributed 16 points and five rebounds.  Moreno had 10 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
 
Daughtery scored 20 points off the bench to lead Central Arkansas (9-22, 5-10 ASUN).
 
EKU shot 50 percent from the field for the game and out-rebounded UCA by 14, 45-31.  The Bears made 43 percent of their shots from the field, but went 11-for-24 from 3-point range for 46 percent.
 
The Colonels will conclude the regular season with two road games next week, starting at Austin Peay on Wednesday.  Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.