LEXINGTON, Ky. – The game plan worked, but the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team couldn’t knock down open looks in the first half and lost at No. 1 University of Kentucky, 82-49, on Sunday at Rupp Arena.
The Colonel offense generated great looks at the basket throughout the first half, but they made just 17 percent (6-for-35) from the field and made only 2-of-17 from three-point range. UK knocked down 55 percent of its shots while building a 41-14 lead at the break.
EKU (4-3) shot 35 percent (12-of-34) in the second half from the field and finished with 49 points, the fourth most points scored this season against the top ranked defense in the nation. Eastern had more points against UK than Providence (38) and Kansas (40).
Denzel Richardson led the Colonels, and tied for the game-high, with 19 points. He made 8-of-11 from the field and all three of his three-point attempts on his way to eclipsing his previous career-high of 18 points.
Corey Walden finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Timmy Knipp had six points and six rebounds.
Karl-Anthony Towns led Kentucky with 19 points and added nine rebounds. Trey Lyles finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Colonels forced 17 turnovers and gave the ball away only 12 times. UK shot 57 percent for the game, but made just 3-of-13 from behind the arc (23 percent).
The top ranked Wildcats (9-0) jumped out to an 11-2 lead before the Colonels got back in the game with the help of Richardson. The junior newcomer scored EKU’s next eight points and the 8-4 Eastern run closed the gap to five, 15-10. Richardson got it started with a three-pointer and finished it off with a trey at the 11:37 mark.
However, Kentucky closed out the rest of the half with a 26-4 run to pull away. Senior Deverin Muff scored Eastern Kentucky’s final points of the half with a dunk off an offensive rebound with 7:13 to go before intermission.
Knipp’s three-pointer from the left corner and driving lay-up to start the second half shaved five quick points off the lead. Two free throws from Ja’Mill Powell capped the 7-0 run to start the second stanza.
Kentucky answered with another run, this time out-scoring the visitors 15-4 to put the game away. Back-to-back buckets by Marcus Lee finished off the run and gave the home squad a 31-point lead, 56-25, with 12:57 remaining.
The Colonels will have the week off from game action during final exams. EKU plays at IUPUI on Saturday. Tip-off in Indianapolis is scheduled for 1 p.m.
NOTES
EKU entered the game first in the nation in turnover margin (+15.3) and finished with five fewer turnovers than the No. 1 Wildcats.
Only one UK opponent has scored over 52 points this season.
Kentucky entered the game first in the nation in scoring defense (45.4 ppg) and first in the country with a defensive field goal percentage of 28.2 percent. EKU scored 49 points but shot just 26 percent from the field.
Eastern began the day second in the nation in free throw shooting (79.7 percent) and second in steals per game (13.0 spg).
Corey Walden now needs 66 more steals to break the EKU career record of 221.
Senior Timmy Knipp played eight games in Rupp Arena as a high school star at Elliott County High School.
Kentucky leads the all-time series 11-0. The two teams did not play between 1928 and 1990.
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