Eastern Kentucky advances to semifinals of College Basketball Invitational

Every Division I men’s basketball team in Kentucky except one has packed in its sneakers for the 2022-23 season.

Bellarmine, Louisville, Murray State and Western Kentucky failed to qualify for further postseason play once they were eliminated from their conference tournaments.

Northern Kentucky lasted one round in the NCAA Tournament and Kentucky stayed for two. Morehead State was knocked out in the second round of the NIT.

The one team still standing? Eastern Kentucky, and the Colonels are working overtime to survive and advance.

Former Madison Central standout Isaiah Cozart made two free throws with 20.1 seconds left in overtime to put the Colonels in front by one Monday, and then blocked one of three attempts by No. 1 seed Indiana State in the closing seconds to preserve an 89-88 EKU victory in overtime in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational at Daytona Beach, Fla.

The win was the second in consecutive days for the Colonels in Florida and both went to overtime. EKU, the No. 8 seed in the 16-team event, knocked out No. 9 seed Cleveland State 91-75 in overtime on Sunday.

The Colonels (22-13) were to face No. 4 seed Southern Utah (24-12) on Tuesday night in the CBI semifinals (7 p.m., ESPN2). No. 3 seed Charlotte (20-14) was to play No. 10 seed Radford (21-14) in the second semifinal.

The semifinal winners meet to decide the championship on Wednesday at 5 p.m. (ESPN2).

Devontae Blanton led Eastern Kentucky on Monday with a career-high 32 points. He also had eight rebounds and four assists. Blanton’s basket with 1:02 remaining in regulation tied the game at 80 to set up the overtime.

Cozart finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, his second double-double in as many games at the CBI.

Courvoisier McCauley and Cooper Neese finished with 17 points each for the Sycamores (23-13).

This story was originally published March 21, 2023 at 7:58 AM.