Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Holding a 1-point lead, Eastern Kentucky University used a 16-0 first half run to fuel an 89-69 victory over Bellarmine on Saturday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
Donovan Hunter went to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game for Bellarmine with 9:29 left in the first half.  Hunter made just one of the two attempts and the Knights didn't score again for more than five minutes.
 
The game-changing run started with a dunk from Montavious Myrick.  The senior added an alley-oop dunk moments later.  Three straight 3-pointers from Juan Cranford Jr., Turner Buttry and Jalen Cooper capped the run.  Cooper's triple from the right wing made it 31-14 with 4:33 remaining in the opening period.
 
Jacob Wassler snapped Bellarmines scoring drought with a dunk at the 4:18 mark.
 
Two free throws from Myrick with 1:29 before intermission gave EKU its largest lead of the first half at 19 points, 38-19.  The Colonels led by 16 at the break.
 
EKU shot 50% from the field and 47% (9-for-19) from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes.  The Knights hit just 33% of their shots and were 2-of-12 from deep (17%).
 
Bellarmine reversed course to start the second half, hitting six of its first eight from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc.  The 17-5 run to open the second stanza allowed the visitors to get within four.  Hunter's 3-pointer with 14:40 left to play made it 45-41.
 
The Colonels (7-12, 3-3 ASUN) responded with another big run, scoring 10 straight to put the game away.  Austin Ball started it with a 3-pointer.  Cranford recorded an old-fashioned 3-point play after a steal by Ball.  MJ Williams came up with a steal off an inbound pass and converted a layup.  The freshman capped the run with a pair of free throws, handing EKU a 55-41 lead with 12:36 to go.
 
A pair of 3-pointers from Williams and Jackson Holt pushed the margin to 18, 61-43.  Holt stretched it to 20 for the first time with a 3-pointer from the left wing at the 7:48 mark.  The Colonels' largest lead of 22 came on two Buttry free throws that made it 80-58 with 5:25 left to play.
 
Cooper had a double-double, finishing with 13 points and 14 rebounds.  Williams went 4-for-6 from behind the arc and 5-for-8 overall to finish with 16 points.  He also had four assists and two steals.  Holt scored 14 off 4-for-6 shooting from 3-point range.  Buttry also had 14 points and four assists.
 
Brian Waddell led Bellarmine (6-12, 1-5 ASUN) with 15 points.
 
EKU shot 53% for the game from the field and 50% (17-for-34) from 3-point range.  The Colonels had 22 assists on 28 made field goals and out-rebounded the Knights by 13, 37-24.  The home team turned 12 offensive rebounds into a 22-8 edge in second-chance points.
 
Bellarmine made 45% of its second half shots and 40% for the game.  The Knights finished 6-for-23 from 3-point range (26%).
 
The Knights came into the game first in the ASUN and 17th in the nation with a team field goal percentage of 50.9%.  .
 
EKU will play at North Florida on Thursday at 7 p.m.