Box Score (pdf)

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Two 3-pointers late in the game put the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team in a 12-point hole as Northern Kentucky picked up an 82-71 win on Monday.
 
EKU closed within six, 68-62, on a layup from MJ Williams with 4:24 left in the game.  The Norse then got 3-pointers from Kael Robinson and Dan Gherezgher to double its lead.  The one from Gherezgher came with 2:47 left in the game and gave NKU a 74-62 advantage.  Northern scored four more to stretch its lead to 78-62.
 
Redshirt freshman Jayden Harris scored a career-high 13 points for the Colonels (1-5).  Turner Buttry scored 20.  Juan Cranford Jr. finished with 18 points.
 
The Norse (4-2) started fast, jumping out to a 12-2 lead on a 3-pointer from Gherezgher with 13:46 to go in the first half.  The Colonels whittled away at the deficit, drawing within four, 16-12, on a jumper from Cranford.
 
EKU was down six when a 10-2 run gave the visitors their first lead.  Cranford started it with a jumper and Yvens Paul followed with a jump shot.  Back-to-back Buttry 3-pointers capped the run and gave the Colonels a 22-20 lead with 6:12 on the clock.
 
Paul finished the game with six points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Cranford hit a pair of three's for a 33-30 lead.  Asa White's two free throws sent EKU to the locker room in front 35-33 at the break.
 
The Colonels shot 48% from the field in the first half and hit 7-of-16 from behind the arc (44%).
 
The teams exchanged baskets to start the second half.  Donovan Oday's jumper put NKU in front by one, 38-37, with 18:36 to go and the Norse led the rest of the way.
 
A baseline running jumper from Buttry and two free throws from Jackson Holt had EKU within two, 59-57, with 7:23 remaining in the game.  Two free throws from Oday at the 4:43 mark pushed Northern Kentucky in front by eight, 68-60.
 
The Colonels made just 2-of-17 from 3-point range in the second half.
 
Gherezgher hit five 3-pointers and led NKU with 19 points.  LJ Wells posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
EKU will host Wofford on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.