Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – A 3-pointer by Jacksonville with 1:24 left to play broke a 72-72 tie and Eastern Kentucky University never recovered in an 82-75 loss to the Dolphins on Saturday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
With EKU in front by two, 72-70, Robert McCray V tied the game with a driving layup at the 1:56 mark.  After a missed shot by the Colonels, McCray connected on the tiebreaking 3-pointer.  George Kimble III missed a 3-point try before Stephon Payne III got a second-chance basket on the other end to hand the Dolphins a 5-point lead with 56 seconds left in the game.
 
A free throw by Kimble and a dunk from Montavious Myrick had the Colonels within three, 78-75, with 27.7 seconds remaining.  However, McCray went to the free throw line and hit both to seal the victory for Jacksonville.
 
Kimble led the Colonels (8-9, 2-2 ASUN) with a game-high 30 points.  He also had six rebounds, six steals and two assists.  Myrick posted his second straight double-double, finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
 
McCray scored 19 on 8-of-13 shooting for the Dolphins (8-8, 3-1 ASUN), but turned the ball over eight times.
 
JU had a 41-34 edge in rebounding, but committed five more turnovers than EKU (17-12).  Jacksonville got 30 points off its bench, including four 3-pointers from Chris Arias, who finished with 12 points.
 
The game was tied nine times and the lead changed on 12 occasions in the first half.  The Colonels went up 15-11 on a pair of free throws from Myrick.  A mini run of six straight, capped by two Kendall Munson free throws handed the Dolphins a 31-27 advantage. 
 
EKU scored five of the final eight of the first half, starting with a 3-pointer from the left corner by Jackson Holt.  Devontae Blanton's free throws made it 39-35.  A 3-pointer from Arias with 50 seconds left in the opening period sent Jacksonville to the locker room down one, 39-38.
 
When Myrick hit two free throws with 18:07 left in the second half, it marked the first time either team led by more than four as the Colonels went on top 46-41.  A pair of three's from Kimble pushed the margin to eight, 57-49, with 12:18 to go.  Kimble's layup at the 9:09 mark had the margin at seven, 61-54.
 
After Jacksonville cut it to two, 63-61, on an alley-oop dunk from Zach Bell, neither team led by more than three until Payne's putback in the final minute gave JU a 5-point advantage.
 
EKU shot 36 percent from the field for the game while the Dolphins hit on 46 percent of their shots, including 47 percent (8-for-17) from behind the arc.
 
The Colonels will play at longtime rival Austin Peay on Thursday.  Tipoff in Clarksville, Tennessee is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.