Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Louisville native Drae Vasser turned in the second triple-double in program history as Eastern Kentucky beat Kentucky State, 106-59, on Friday at Baptist Health Arena.
 
Vasser finished with 12 points, 10 assists and 10 steals.  He joins Richmond native Isaiah Cozart as the only two players in program history to record a triple-double.  Cozart had 10 points, 13 rebounds and 11 blocks against Troy on Nov. 27, 2023.
 
The Colonels (3-1) got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 14-3 lead after hitting four 3-pointers.  Damone King, Austin Ball and Jackson Holt hit three in a row.
 
Vasser pushed the margin to 13, 21-8, with a layup at the 10:01 mark.  A quick run of seven unanswered allowed EKU to stretch the lead to 18.  King's 3-pointer from the top of the key made it 30-12 with 7:48 before intermission.
 
Ball's two free throws with just over two minutes left in the opening half had Eastern out in front by 20, 39-19.  The Colonels led by 16 at the break, 39-23.
 
Eastern Kentucky shot 48% in the first half.  The Thorobreds made 30% of their attempts. 
 
Kentucky State scored the first four points of the second half to close within 12, but the Colonels answered with a 13-2 run.  Back-to-back dunks from Shadrak Lasu and Josh Lowe made it a 20-point game again, 49-29.  King hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 14:30 left in the game to finish off the run.
 
Lasu finished with a game-high 15 rebounds, his third straight game with 10 or more boards.  Lowe had 12 points.
 
KSU never got closer than 21 the rest of the way.  During an 18-0 run, Lowe's layup with 6:27 to play had the margin at 30, 75-45.  Freshman Cade Murphy's jumper capped the run and put the Colonels out in front by 40, 85-45, with 4:56 left in the game.  With less than a minute to go, a layup from freshman Amari Owens gave Eastern its largest lead of 51, 106-55.
 
EKU shot 55% in the second half and 53% for the game.  The Colonels forced 36 turnovers on 23 steals and out-scored Kentucky State 44-15 off turnovers. 
 
Terin Wofford had a game-high 16 points for the Thorobreds.
 
Eastern Kentucky will play at Kent State on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.