Box Score

KENNESAW, Ga. – Michael Moreno hit seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points, and Devontae Blanton posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead Eastern Kentucky University to an 86-76 win at Kennesaw State on Saturday.
 
After a 2-game road trip, the Colonels return home to host Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday in a nationally televised game on ESPNU.  Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET. 
 
There will be a halfcourt shot to win a car during the game.  The first 1,000 fans will receive a FREE t-shirt sponsored by the Kentucky Lottery.  Free Crumble Cookies will be available for EKU students.  One lucky fan will win FREE Chick-Fil-A for a year.  The Jerry Goble State Farm promotion will give a lucky fan the chance to win $10,000.
 
KSU (13-10, 4-5 ASUN) cut a 10-point second half deficit to four, 73-69, on Terrell Burden's 3-pointer with 5:37 left in the game.  However, Collin Cooper answered with a 3-pointer from the left corner to put the Colonels in front by seven.  A dunk from Isaiah Cozart pushed the margin to nine, 80-71, with 2:50 remaining.
 
EKU (12-10, 8-1 ASUN) went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final minute.  Turner Buttry's two from the charity stripe with 47.3 seconds to play gave the visitors their largest lead of the game at 12, 86-74.
 
Moreno made 7-of-13 from behind the arc.  He also had four rebounds and three assists.  Blanton added five assists to his double-double numbers. 
 
The Colonels shot 48 percent from the field for the game and 48 percent from 3-point range (13-of-27).  The Owls hit on 41 percent for the game and 32 percent (8-for-25) from deep.  After shooting 5-for-14 from 3-point range in the first half, KSU was 3-for-11 (27 percent) in the second.
 
Kennesaw State got out-rebounded by 10, 24-14, in the first half, but out-rebounded EKU 23-18 in the second, including pulling 19 rebounds off the offensive glass.
 
Burden finished with 33 points on 13-of-26 shooting from the field.  He also had eight rebounds and six assists.
 
The Colonels scored the first two points of the game, but the Owls scored the next nine.  EKU started 1-for-8 from the field.  The visitors quickly found their stroke though, hitting three of their next four from the field to fuel an 8-0 run.  Moreno hit a 3-pointer and had a put-back during the run.  His second bucket gave the Colonels the lead, 10-9.
 
A pair of 3-pointers from Moreno helped EKU stretch its lead to seven, 21-14.  Moreno's fourth 3-pointer of the first half pushed the margin to eight, 30-22, with 4:32 on the clock.
 
Every time the Colonels started to pull away, Kennesaw State hit a 3-pointer to close the gap.  The Owls hit all six of their first half triples after falling behind by that 21-14 deficit.  Burden's long ball with 1:03 left in the first sent KSU to the locker room down only three, 39-36.
 
KSU scored the first four points of the second half to take a 40-39 lead.  Blanton and Moreno hit 3-pointers to swing the lead back in their favor, 45-40.  The Colonels never trailed again.  A 3-pointer from Moreno and Blanton's jumper in the paint with 12:46 showing on the clock staked EKU to a 10-point advantage, 62-52.