Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

Box Score

ATLANTA, Ga. – EKU built a 10-point lead in the first half at Georgia Tech on Tuesday, but the Yellow Jackets staged a second rally to earn an 85-71 victory at McCamish Pavilion.
 
Justin McCarter and Damone King scored 20 points each for the Colonels (2-1).  Shadrak Lasu pulled down 10 rebounds.
 
The two teams exchanged a pair of 9-0 runs in the first half.  EKU's run was fueled by seven points from McCarter.  His layup with 11:16 on the clock handed the Colonels a 10-point lead, 19-9.
 
The Yellow Jackets (3-0) came right back and scored nine unanswered of their own.  A layup from Victor Valdes capped it and closed the gap to 19-18 with 8:57 left in the opening period.
 
Eastern led by five, 31-26, on a 16-foot jumper and free throw from Jackson Holt.  Then again when Josh Lowe knocked in a 3-pointer from the left corner to make it 38-33 with 3:17 remaining in the first half.  Austin Ball's 3-pointer from the top of the key put the Colonels up five for a third time, 42-37, but Georgia Tech scored the final four points of the first half.  Tylls Jordan's layup with 28 seconds on the clock closed it to 42-41 at the half.
 
McCarter had 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the first 20 minutes.
 
Georgia Tech scored the first seven points of the second half and led the rest of the way.  The Colonels' first basket of the second half didn't come until the 18:24 mark.  That 3-pointer from King got EKU within three, 48-45, but the Jackets answered with an old-fashioned 3-point play on the other end.
 
King scored his team's first seven points of the second stanza and totaled 14 in the second half.  His turnaround jumper with 15:26 to play got Eastern Kentucky within two, 51-49.  However, the Colonels never got any closer.  The Yellow Jackets scored the next seven to go up nine.
 
Two free throws and a layup from Lowe got EKU within two again, 61-59, with 9:35 left in the game.  Kam Craft's 3-pointer with 7:38 remaining all but sealed the win for the Yellow Jackets, giving the home team a 9-point advantage, 68-59.
 
Eastern shot 41% from the field and 33% from 3-point range, but was out-rebounded 50-30.  The Yellow Jackets also had a 22-9 edge in free throws.
 
Jordan finished with a game-high 27 for Georgia Tech.
 
The Colonels will be back home on Friday to host Kentucky State.  Tipoff at Baptist Health Arena is set for 7 p.m.