DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — EKU won its third straight overtime game in the College Basketball Invitational to earn a spot in Wednesday's Championship game. Isaiah Cozart led the way with a career-high 31 points while he added 13 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.
The Colonels trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half against Southern Utah but battled back to take the lead. EKU was up one when the Thunderbirds Cameron Healy hit a three pointer with just over a minute to play. Healy finished with 7-12 from behind the three point line for 23 points. But with :30 remaining, EKU's Cooper Robb would drive and dish to Cozart for a slam to tie the game at 85. It would head to overtime.
In the OT, EKU took a two point lead with :05 remaining on a baseline turnaround from Devontae Blanton. He scored 24 points and added 4 steals. However, Southern Utah got the ball underneath their own basket with just over one second remaining and Dee Barnes went flying down the lane for an alley-oop dunk to tie the game at 99 and sending it to another overtime.
In the third OT, EKU was up three when the Thunderbirds Drake Allen hit a three to tie it up at 106 with :09 seconds remaining. The Colonels Leland Walker got a shot off but missed and as Cozart rebounded he was fouled with :01 to go in the game. So, the Senior from Richmond, Kentucky went to the line for a second straight game to seal it with two free throws.
EKU is now 23-13 and will get the winner of Radford and Charlotte in the Championship game of the CBI. Tip off is set for 5:00 pm on Wednesday and can be seen on ESPN2.
