Wendy Haun
RICHMOND — Justin Stommes stepped up and hit a huge three-pointer with 12 seconds left and the defense held tight for the remaining time as Eastern Kentucky University completed a double-digit comeback against the Roadrunners.
EKU handed Texas-San Antonio its first loss of the season, 74-72, in their final game of the CBE Classic Wednesday at McBrayer Arena.
“Our focus in the second half was just about fighting for this game. We were fighting in the second half,” EKU coach Jeff Neubauer said. “It was about fighting for that extra rebound. I’m really proud of my guys because of their effort. I’m certainly proud of Justin Stommes made a huge shot. It was about having some fight in us when the game was on the line.
UTSA (4-1) led 41-28 at halftime after shooting 57 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Colonels only made two threes in the first half.
EKU (4-1) led by six early until Terry Fields converted a jump shot to give the Roadrunners a 17-16 lead. Their lead would hold for 29 minutes until Josh Jones put the Colonels into the lead.
The Roadrunners led by as much as 15. After taking a 12-point lead off a three-pointer by Omar Johnson, EKU began to challenge for the lead. The Colonels cut it to four points with five minutes left off a pair of free throws by Jones and again with two minutes left off a layup by Stommes.
In the final two minutes of the game, EKU outscored UTSA 10-4, including a three-pointer by Jones. EKU scored 13 points in the second half off of turnovers and 16 points in the paint.
Stommes led EKU with 17 points off 6-of-11 shooting, while Papa Oppong came back into form with a season-high 14 points. Oppong couldn’t find the bottom of the net Tuesday against UC-Irvine and hadn’t scored in double-figures in scoring since putting in 13 points in the Colonels’ opener against West Virginia Wesleyan. Jones scored 12 and Spencer Perrin added 11. EKU shot 61 percent in the second half and 50 percent overall.
For UTSA, both Devin Gibson and Johnson scored 18 and Morris Smith IV scored 14 points.
The Colonels will return to action Saturday against Florida International. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at McBrayer Arena.
