Associated Press
 Eastern senior Papa Oppong led all scorers with 20 points, which was one point shy of his career high. |
RICHMOND, Ky. — Papa Oppong scored 20 points and Justin Stommes added 16, including a go-ahead layup with 21 seconds left Saturday night, to lift Eastern Kentucky past Jacksonville State 66-65.
Stommes’ layup for the Colonels (17-8, 9-4 Ohio Valley Conference) came after both teams missed shots on two consecutive possessions.
Dominique Shellman had given the Gamecocks (10-13, 6-7) a 65-64 lead by making one of two free throws with 2:22 remaining to break the game’s 10th tie.
Jacksonville State twice led by six points in the second half, only to see Eastern Kentucky come back. The Colonels held a seven-point lead, 57-50, with 6:56 left but couldn’t hold it.
Both teams shot over 50 percent in the second half — Eastern Kentucky at 54.2 percent (13-for-24) and Jacksonville State at 52.2 percent (12-for-23).
Trenton Marshall scored 19 points and Nick Murphy 15 to lead the Gamecocks.
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