Eastern Kentucky Colonels Secure Victory Over Southern Illinois, Prepare for Louisiana Tech Matchup

The Eastern Kentucky University Colonels men’s basketball team secured a significant victory over the Southern Illinois University Salukis on Tuesday, November 26, at the Gulf Coast Showcase held at Hertz Arena in Florida. The Colonels dominated the game with a strong defensive start and impressive first-half shooting, leading to a 77-72 win. Eastern Kentucky jumped to an early 10-2 lead, thanks in part to a steal and layup by George Kimble III and back-to-back 3-pointers from Kimble and Mayar Wol, which capped a 21-4 start to the game.

Southern Illinois struggled in the first half, starting 0-for-6 from the field and committing nine turnovers in the first eight and a half minutes. The Salukis’ first field goal did not come until the 11:34 mark. The Colonels extended their lead to 26 points by the end of the first half, with Devontae Blanton scoring six of the final 11 points for EKU. Blanton finished the game with 17 points, six rebounds, and two assists.

In the second half, the teams experienced a role reversal, with Southern Illinois mounting a significant comeback. The Salukis started the second half on a 16-3 run, reducing the deficit to 13 points. Despite this, the Colonels maintained a double-digit lead until the final three minutes of the game. Southern Illinois closed the gap to single digits for the first time since the early stages of the game but ultimately fell short. Ali Dibba of SIU scored 25 of his 26 points in the second half, while Kennard Davis Jr. added 21 points and seven rebounds for the Salukis.

The Colonels will next face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Wednesday, November 27, at the Gulf Coast Showcase. Louisiana Tech is currently undefeated with a 6-0 record and is favored to win with a spread of -10.5 points. The game is expected to be high-scoring, with predictions suggesting over 140.5 points.