RICHMOND – December 10, 2023
Senior Michael Moreno broke Eastern Kentucky University’s career 3-pointers record as the Colonels beat Bethany College, 121-56, on Sunday at Baptist Health Arena.
Moreno entered the game needing one to tie the mark and two to break. He hit a 3-pointer from the right wing with 3:48 to go in the opening period, tying Matt Witt (2002-06) for the most career 3-pointers in program history with 283. The Georgetown, Kentucky native secured the record by himself when he knocked in a triple from the right wing with 15:35 left in the game.
Moreno finished with 11 points and five rebounds.
Collin Cooper led the Colonels (4-4) with 20 points to go along with four steals. John Ukomadu had a double-double with 18 points, a career-best 16 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Montavious Myrick contributed a career-high 11 points.
EKU shot 58 percent from the field, out-rebounded the Bison 55-27 and forced 29 turnovers. The Colonels had a 74-22 advantage in points in the paint. The home squad had 27 assists on 50 made field goals.
Bethany jumped out to a 5-1 lead before the Colonels started a 25-3 run to seize control of the contest. Ukomadu kicked it off with a dunk. Leland Walker hit a 3-pointer from the left wing for a 10-5 EKU advantage. After another Ukomadu dunk, Myrick capped it with a lay-up to put the Colonels on top 26-8.
EKU finished the run by scoring 16 straight as the Bison went almost five minutes without scoring.
The Colonels took a 23-point lead, 40-17, on an Ukomadu lay-up with 8:13 to play in the first half. Devontae Blanton’s old-fashioned 3-point play stretched the margin to 26, 46-20.
Moreno’s lay-up gave the Colonels their second 34-point lead of the first half, 60-26. EKU led 60-28 at intermission.
EKU pushed the margin to 40-plus, 79-38, on a dunk from Myrick with 14:31 left in the game and hit a 50-point lead, 88-38, on Ukomadu’s lay-up at the 11:20 mark. Moreno’s dunk with 5:54 to play put the Colonels ahead by 61, 109-48.
Cole Dailey led Bethany College (3-6) with 15 points and five rebounds.
The Colonels will play at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
