SE Bluegrass News

Robb Hits Game-Winning 3-Pointer With Three Seconds Left To Beat Jax State

Devontae Blanton found Cooper Robb in the corner for the game-winning 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds left, lifting Eastern Kentucky University to a 69-67 win over Jacksonville State on Thursday at Baptist Health Arena.

 

The Colonels (15-9, 8-3 ASUN) grabbed a 65-62 lead on a jumper from Blanton with 1:40 to go.  Amanze Ngumezi's dunk closed the gap to one for Jacksonville State with just over a minute remaining.  Demaree King swished a 3-pointer with 24 seconds to go to give the Gamecocks a 2-point lead, 67-65. 

 

JSU sent Blanton to the free throw line with 14 ticks on the clock.  He connected on the first to make it a one-point game, but missed the second for the tie.  The rebound went out of bounds off a Gamecock and EKU retained possession.

 

Blanton drove baseline and was cut off by two defenders, but found Robb in the opposite corner for the win.

 

It was Robb's only 3-pointer, and only his second field goal, of the night.  He finished with eight points and two steals.  Blanton led all players with 21 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists.

 

Skyelar Potter finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for Jacksonville State (10-14, 3-8 ASUN).

 

JSU shot 39 percent (11-for-28) from behind the arc for the game, but just 32 percent (13-for-34) from inside the 3-point line.  The Colonels made 46 percent of their shots from the field and blocked seven shots.

 

EKU scored the first nine points of the game on 3-pointers from Michael Moreno, Blanton and Tayshawn Comer.  After tying the game for the first time at 20-20, JSU pushed in front by six on a pair of three's from Demaree King and Clarence Jackson, the second coming with 7:52 left in the opening half.

 

The Colonels whittled away and knotted the score at 36-36 on a 3-pointer from the top of the key by Leland Walker with 1:17 on the clock.  Neither team scored again in the first half.

 

EKU took an early four-point lead in the second half, and then a five-point edge, but each time the Gamecocks came back to tie.  After Blanton's jumper in the paint put the Colonels ahead 50-45, Jacksonville State scored 13 of the next 14 points.  Peyton Daniels tied it at 50-50 with 11:56 left in the game.  Jackson's 3-pointer capped the run and had the visitors in front by seven, 58-51, with 6:50 to play.

 

The Colonels answered by scoring eight straight.  Robb started the run with three free throws.  Isaiah Cozart had a dunk.  Comer's old-fashioned 3-point play capped it and gave the home team a 59-58 edge.

Original source can be found here.