Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Wofford College shot 52% in the second half on its way to beating the Eastern Kentucky University 83-77 on Saturday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
Austin Ball tied his career-high with 20 points for the Colonels.  MJ Williams had 11 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.  Yvens Paul had nine points and 10 boards.
 
The two teams exchanged runs to start the game.  Wofford scored the first nine points of the contest and went up 11-2 on a jumper from Cayden Vasko with 15:37 on the clock.  EKU then scored the next 11 points.  Ball scored the first five, three of which came at the free throw line.  Jayden Harris hit a 3-pointer before Williams capped it with a three from the "U" on the midcourt design, with 11:29 to go in the opening period.
 
The Terriers (5-3) ended the first half on a 15-5 run, turning a 1-point deficit into a 9-point lead at the break.  Juan Cranford Jr.'s 3-pointer from the top of the key with 6:31 to go in the first put the Colonels ahead 23-22.  Wofford scored the next nine, including a 3-pointer from Kahmare Holmes to give his squad a 31-23 advantage.  Two free throws from Holmes pushed it to an 11-point edge, 37-26.  Tyler Jackson made two at the charity stripe for EKU to make it a 9-point game, 37-28, at halftime.
 
The Colonels (1-6) scored the first point of the second half to close the gap to eight, but didn't get any closer until the final six seconds of the game.  Six straight from the Terriers, capped by two Nils Machowski free throws put Wofford ahead by 15, 46-31, with 17:22 left in the game.
 
EKU scored six straight to get within 10, 49-39, but Wofford hit three straight 3-pointers, the first two from Vasko, to make it a 19-point game, 58-39 with 11:32 remaining.
 
A late 16-5 run from the Colonels got it back to an 8-point deficit.  Ball hit two 3-pointers during the run, the second coming with 4:31 on the clock made it 75-67. 
 
Three free throws from Williams with 5.5 seconds left to play got EKU within six, 81-75.
 
EKU shot 55% in the second half, but hit on just 23% in the first half and 38% for the game.  The Colonels out-rebounded Wofford 46-42, but the Terries out-scored EKU 24-13 at the free throw line.
 
Holmes led all players with 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting.
 
The Colonels will play at No. 18 ranked mid-major Illinois State on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.