RICHMOND, Ky. – In its return to Baptist Health Arena, the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team went 6-for-6 at the free throw line in the final minute to beat the University of North Florida, 79-74, on Thursday.
The Colonels (8-8, 2-1 ASUN) hadn’t played on their home court since last March, while Baptist Health Arena underwent the first two phases of a three phase renovation project. The Colonels will host Jacksonville on Saturday at 4 p.m.
After Jaylen Smith hit a 3-pointer to draw the Ospreys (7-9, 0-3 ASUN) within two, 73-71, at the 1:42 mark, Devontae Blanton missed the front end of a 1-and-1 at the free throw line. Smith missed a 3-point try on the other end and Blanton hauled down the rebound. The senior wing was fouled with 59.3 seconds to go and hit both attempts to push the margin to four, 75-71.
Smith kept the pressure on with another 3-pointer to make it a 1-point game with the clock ticking under 40 seconds. Blanton was fouled again and made two more to extend it to a 3-point game, 77-74, with 37.9 seconds remaining.
Over an 11 second span, UNF missed three 3-point attempts that would have tied the game. Mayar Wol secured the rebound after the third miss and was fouled with seven seconds left. He hit both of his attempts to secure the win.
George Kimble III led all players with 26 points. He also had five assists and four rebounds. Blanton finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Montavious Myrick posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
EKU out-rebounded North Florida 44-39.
Smith contributed 16 points and five assists for the Ospreys.
The Colonels started hot, hitting seven of their first 11 shots to double up the Ospreys 14-7. Kimble hit a 3-pointer from the left wing for a 10-point margin, 17-7. Turner Buttry’s 3-pointer with 8:50 to go in the opening period staked the home team to a 12-point advantage, 23-11.
Buttry had 12 points on the night, going 3-for-5 from deep.
North Florida righted the ship and used a 14-3 run to tie the game. Kamrin Oriol tied it at 26-26 on a layup at the 4:04 mark. Oriol’s 3-pointer tied it again, 32-32, with less than two minutes to go before intermission. EKU took a 1-point lead, 34-33, into the locker room at the break.
The Ospreys scored the first basket of the second half to go on top by one. A dunk by Josh Harris gave the visitors their final lead of the game, 42-41, with 16:18 to go. Kimble’s 3-pointer from the right wing and Buttry’s triple from the top of the key, after an offensive rebounds, put the Colonels ahead by five, 47-42, and the home team led the rest of the way.
A layup from Kimble extended EKU’s lead to eight, 62-54, with 6:37 on the clock.
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