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KENNESAW, Ga. – Tyler Hooker and Kyle Clarke recorded career-highs of 29 and 20 points, respectively, but Eastern Kentucky got hot from three-point range to defeat the Owls 100-81 in the final game of the Paradise Jam Tournament Monday afternoon.
 
How it Happened: EKU (3-3) got on the board first with five straight points from Nick Mayo before Hooker drained a three-pointer to give the Owls (1-5) their first points of the day. The two teams traded buckets until a 6-0 run for KSU, capped off by a jumper from freshman Ugo Obineke, tied the game at 17.
 
The Colonels regained their lead with an 8-2 run to lead 25-19 with 6:59 to play. EKU kept the Owls at bay throughout the rest of the half as both teams went shot-for-shot. Hooker and Mayo each finished the first half in double-figures, with Hooker going 6-of-7 from the free throw line, but EKU had the edge leading 39-33.
 
The squads traded buckets to open the second half, but the Colonels began to pull away, sinking three straight treys to lead 50-38. That set the tone for EKU as the Colonels got hot from beyond the arc, going 10-of-15 from the three-point line in the second half.
 
EKU maintained a double-digit lead until Hooker went off for 10 straight points to pull the Owls within four, 52-48, at the 14:29 mark. The Colonels responded with back-to-back threes to spark a 9-2 run and regain a double-digit lead, 61-50.  
 
While the Owls did a good job of getting to the free throw line, going 19-of-20 from the charity stripe in the second half, EKU remained hot from deep to build a 20-point lead, 90-70, with under five minutes to play.
 
Hooker, Clarke and Obineke all scored over 10 points in the second half, but KSU could not keep pace, making only one three-pointer compared to 10 for EKU.
 
Notes: This is the first time two Owls have recorded 20 or more points in a game since Nick Masterson and James Scott accomplished the feat at Lipscomb last season … Tyler Hooker made a career-high 13 free throws to help record his fourth straight game in double-figures … Ugo Obineke was one-point shy of his career-high with 16 points … The Owls 31 made free throws is tied for the third most all-time in KSU Division I history … Kyle Clarke recorded 10 free throws to earn his first 20-point game as an Owl … Bryson Lockley, Kosta Jankovic, Hooker and Clarke all recorded seven rebounds, career-highs for Hooker and Clarke, as the Owls finished with 41 total rebounds compared to 34 for EKU.
 
Up next: The Owls finally return home to host Belmont this Saturday at 4 p.m.