EKU Stages Big Comeback But Falls Short at Belmont

Belmont 83
Eastern Kentucky 76

Final from Nashville, Tennessee

Game recap by EKU:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky overcame a 17-point first half deficit and led by four with six and a half minutes to go, but couldn’t hold off Belmont in an 83-76 road loss. The game featured two of the three remaining unbeaten Ohio Valley Conference teams.

The Bruins (14-4, 5-0 OVC) went up by 17, 29-12, with 4:52 left in the first half. The Colonels (14-4, 4-1 OVC) whittled the deficit to nine at halftime. Eastern came out in the second half and used a 17-6 run to take the lead.

Timmy Knipp hit two three-pointers and Orlando Williams and Mike DiNunno each knocked down one during the run. DiNunno’s triple capped it and put the visitors on top 41-39, their first lead of the game, with 17:02 to go. Another DiNunno three-pointer and two free throws with 6:39 remaining had EKU in front by four, 69-65.

However, Belmont rolled off 12 unanswered to take an eight-point lead with 3:26 showing on the clock. Back-to-back three-pointers by DiNunno made it a two-point game, but that’s as close as the Colonels would get.

DiNunno scored a game-best and season-high 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field. Knipp finished with a career-best 13. Williams added 10 points, six assists, three steals and three rebounds.

Ian Clark had 22 points for Belmont. He made 7-of-10 from the field, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc. Blake Jenkins added 21 and Kerron Johnson finished with 15.

Complete Recap