Texas Tech Athletics
Eastern Kentucky
Big Offensive Effort Powers Texas Tech Past Eastern Kentucky
November 22, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2008
LUBBOCK, Tx - The Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team fell to hot-shooting Texas Tech on Saturday, 98-84, in the Colonels' first game of the 2008 Legends Classic Tournament. Down by 22 at halftime, the Colonels staged a furious rally in the second half - shooting 71 percent from three-point range - but were eventually subdued the Red Raiders.
Senior Mike Rose led the Colonels with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting (4-of-9 from behind the arc). 19 of Rose's 25 points came in the second half. Junior Papa Oppong contributed with 17 points (14 of which came in the second half) and a team-high seven rebounds. Oppong has now led the Colonels in rebounding every game this season. Junior Josh Taylor and freshman Joshua Jones came off the bench to chip in with 10 and nine points, respectively.
Tech was led by senior Alan Voskuil, who poured in a game-high 28 points on 8-of-11 three-point shooting. Sophomore John Roberson helped out with 16 points, 14 of which came in the first half.
The Colonels shot 48 percent from the field for the game and 45 percent from three-point range; however, the Red Raiders outdueled them by putting up staggering numbers of 62 percent shooting from the field and 64 percent shooting from behind the arc.
The game was dominated early by Roberson, who hit four three-pointers in the first eight minutes of the game to give the Red Raiders an 18-8 advantage with 11:39 left in the first half. Two consecutive buckets by Tech sophomore Mike Singletary quickly ballooned that lead to 22-8.
A put-back by Taylor and a jumper by junior Dayvon Ellis pulled the Colonels back within 11 points; however, four consecutive threes by the Red Raiders - one by junior Nick Okorie and three by senior Alan Voskuil - again gave Texas Tech a sizeable advantage at 36-12.
Six straight points by Rose and a three-pointer by sophomore Justin Stommes pulled EKU to within 19, but another three by Voskuil at the buzzer sent the Colonels into halftime trailing 48-26.
EKU shot just 30 percent from the field in the first half and only 21 percent from three-point range. Rose led the Colonels with six points at the break, while Taylor came off the bench to score five. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, scorched the nets in the first half, shooting 65 percent from the field and 69 percent from three-point range. Roberson led Tech at the half with 14 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting while Voskuil contributed 12 points on 4-of-5 three point shooting.
The Colonels warmed up at the start of the second half, with Oppong pouring in 11 points in the first five minutes of the half on 3-of-3 three-point shooting. Consecutive three pointers by Jones brought the Colonels to within 20 at 65-45 with 13:46 left in the game. A jumper by Rose with 13:18 showing on the clock cut the Red Raider lead to below 20 for the first time since the first half.
Two consecutive Taylor-to-Rose backdoor baskets sliced the lead to 73-56. A Taylor three from the top of the key then brought the Colonels to within 15, 78-63, with 8:43 remaining in the game. A Jones three with just over six minutes to play cut the Tech lead to 13, 83-70.
The Red Raiders' torrid shooting continued, however, and stymied EKU's comeback. Voskuil poured in 16 points in the second half on 4-of-6 three-point shooting and the Colonels could never quite cut the lead to single digits.
Recap Courtesy of ekusports.com
