Box Score (pdf)

FLORENCE, Ala. – The Colonels erased a 4-point deficit in the final eight seconds of regulation, but lost 84-78 in overtime at North Alabama on Sunday.
 
Two free throws from Cortez Graham-Howard with 14.3 seconds left in the second half gave the Lions a 70-66 advantage.  Juan Cranford Jr. was fouled on a 3-point attempt in the right corner with 7.8 seconds on the clock, and hit all three free throws to draw the Colonels to within one.
 
Kevin de Kovachich missed the second of two free throw attempts at the other end to leave EKU within two with 5.5 seconds left in regulation.  MJ Williams was fouled just over the halfcourt line and made both of his attempts to tie it at 71-71 with 2.7 seconds to go.
 
UNA got off a 3-quarter court shot at the buzzer that was well short.
 
Cranford's layup with 2:36 to play in overtime put the Colonels in front 76-75, but North Alabama scored the next four points and led the rest of the way.  Another layup from Cranford, with 53.4 seconds remaining, got the visitors within one, 79-78.  Cranford was fouled on the play but missed the free throw to tie. 
 
The Colonels missed on two more free throws with 50 seconds on the clock that could have tied or given them the lead.  The Lions made 5-of-6 at the stripe from that point to secure the victory.
 
Jalen Cooper led EKU with 16 points and 10 rebounds.  Williams had 15 points and four assists.  Cranford finished with 12 points.
 
The Colonels fell behind 6-0 and 8-2 early, but took advantage of eight UNA turnovers in the first eight minutes to take the lead.  A 3-pointer from Cooper started a 13-3 run.  Cranford followed with a 3-pointer.  Williams contributed an old-fashioned 3-point play and Austin Ball capped it with a dunk, giving the visitors a 15-11 lead with 12:51 to go in the first half.
 
The Lions trailed by five, 23-18, before scoring 10 unanswered to reverse the deficit into a 5-point lead.  Turner Buttry tied the game at 28-28 with a 3-pointer from the left wing.  A three from Jackson Holt put EKU ahead 31-29.  North Alabama scored the final three points of the half to take a 32-31 advantage.
 
The two teams exchanged runs to start the second half.  The Lions scored the first six, and then the Colonels scored the next seven.  A 3-pointer from the right wing by Williams tied it at 38-38.
 
After Braylon Patton put UNA in front by  one, 47-46, with 10:53 left to play, EKU used a 12-4 run to create a 7-point cushion.  Buttry hit a 3-pointer and Williams had a layup.  Montavious Myrick finished it with an old-fashioned 3-point play for a 58-51 advantage with 7:36 on the clock.
 
Graham-Howard's 3-pointer with 3:21 left got North Alabama within two, 64-62.  A free throw from Donte Bacchus and a 3-pointer from de Kovachich turned a 2-point deficit into a 2-point lead, 68-66, with 36.2 seconds to play in the second.  Graham-Howard's two free throws 22 seconds later put the Lions ahead by four.
 
Bacchus had a game-best 21 points to go along with nine rebounds.  Corneilous Williams finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
 
UNA shot 46% from the field for the game and made 31 free throws in 46 trips to the line.  The Colonels shot 40% and were 15-for-26 at the charity stripe.  The Lions had a 49-33 rebounding advantage.
 
EKU will return to Baptist Health Arena to host West Georgia on Wednesday at 7 p.m.