Eastern Kentucky dominated Bellarmine from start to finish, cruising to an 89-69 win at the Baptist Health Arena. The Colonels' 20-point margin of victory was a reflection of their balanced attack, which saw three players score in double figures. MJ Williams led the way with 16 points, while Turner Buttry and Jackson Holt chipped in with 14 points each.
The Colonels set the tone early, taking a 40-24 lead into halftime. Bellarmine struggled to find its footing in the first half, shooting just 32% from the field. The Knights' Brian Waddell was one of the few bright spots, scoring 10 of his team-high 15 points in the first half. Despite Waddell's efforts, Eastern Kentucky's defense was stifling, forcing Bellarmine into tough shots and limiting their scoring opportunities.
In the second half, Eastern Kentucky continued to pull away, outscoring Bellarmine 49-45. The Colonels' offense was clicking on all cylinders, with Williams, Buttry, and Holt all making key contributions. Bellarmine, on the other hand, was unable to mount a significant comeback, despite a strong effort from Waddell and Kenyon Goodin, who added 9 points and 6 rebounds.
The win improves Eastern Kentucky's record to 7-14, while Bellarmine falls to 7-13. While neither team is likely to make a deep postseason run, the victory is still an important one for the Colonels, who are looking to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
This game was classified as a Quadrant 4 matchup for both teams, which means it won't do much to boost their NCAA Tournament resumes. However, the win is still a positive result for Eastern Kentucky, who avoided a potentially damaging loss to a team ranked lower in the net rankings. For Bellarmine, the loss is a missed opportunity to pick up a win against a team with a similar profile.
In terms of tournament implications, this result is unlikely to have a significant impact on either team's chances. However, for Eastern Kentucky, the win helps to avoid a bad loss, which can be just as important as picking up a quality win. The Colonels want to build on this performance in their upcoming games, as they try to strengthen their resume and position themselves for a potential postseason run. For now, the focus is on the next game, and trying to keep the momentum going.