EKU basketball must replace its top scorer and a program legend this season
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- Eastern Kentucky men’s basketball begins its season Thursday against Midway University.
- EKU must replace its top scorer, George Kimble III, as well as standout Devontae Blanton.
- A.W. Hamilton is aiming to lead EKU to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.
Now entering his eighth season as the Eastern Kentucky men’s basketball coach, A.W. Hamilton has established a solid foundation.
The Colonels are on a streak of three consecutive winning seasons, a run that includes winning the outright Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season title during the 2023-24 season. Hamilton has molded EKU into a perennial contender in the ASUN, and Eastern is once again expected to contend for the championship this season, which will be the Colonels’ final one in the league.
So for its final ASUN season and with a talented roster in place, the task is straightforward for Hamilton and the Colonels: Put together another solid regular season campaign and find a way to win the ASUN Tournament, which is EKU’s only realistic pathway to the NCAA Tournament. The Colonels last made the Big Dance in 2014.
If EKU is to find its way back into March Madness, it will mean Hamilton’s team has found a way to replace a program legend. Devontae Blanton was a five-year standout at wing and ranks among the greatest players in EKU history. The 6-foot-6 Blanton, who operated extensively in the midrange and in post-up situations, finished his college career with 2,050 points, 837 rebounds and 429 assists.
“(Blanton) always pops up on our teaching clips,” Hamilton said at EKU’s media day last month. “When we go out here and watch film, he’s always (shown) in how we do different things... It was special to watch his growth.”
The Colonels also have to replace their leading scorer from last season. George Kimble III averaged 18 points per game before missing the final seven games of the season with a knee injury that required surgery. Kimble transferred to Vanderbilt during the offseason, and he will redshirt this season with the Commodores.
With Blanton set to begin his professional career in China and Kimble in the SEC, a cast of characters old and new will now be leading the way for the Colonels.
After going 18-14 overall last season and losing in the ASUN Tournament quarterfinals, EKU returns two starters in senior guard Turner Buttry and grad student forward Montavious Myrick.
Buttry — the 2022 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award winner at Bowling Green — was EKU’s best 3-point shooter last season at a scalding 40% while averaging 8.7 points per game. He’s made a school-record 47 consecutive free throws. Myrick was Eastern’s leading rebounder last season at 8.1 boards per game, and he also paced the Colonels with 36 total blocks.
Myrick is back to 100% after undergoing offseason surgery for a torn labrum in his shoulder.
“Ever since we’ve all been kids, we’ve wanted to all play in the NCAA Tournament. This is me and Mont’s last shot to do it,” Buttry said. “We definitely do feel a sense of urgency to get where we want to go and do it as quick as we can. Get to our max potential as quick as we can.”
“I feel like I have unfinished business here,” said Myrick, who was chosen as the ASUN’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. “Being here the past two years, we’ve won a lot of games, we’ve accomplished a lot of things. But, the ultimate goal is to get to the NCAA Tournament, and we haven’t reached that goal yet... I wanted to be a part of a team that does it.”
Other key returnees for EKU are redshirt juniors guard Jackson Holt (7.1 points per game and 39.2% on 3-pointers last season) and forward Yvens Paul (34 blocks and a 72.1% field-goal percentage).
EKU basketball transfer Amarr Knox is currently ineligible to play in games
Collectively, Eastern Kentucky’s newcomers are perhaps the most talented group in the 12-team ASUN.
EKU’s transfer portal class is headlined by the additions of two small-school NCAA Tournament players from last season. Sophomore guard Juan Cranford Jr. was the Rookie of the Year in the Northeast Conference at Saint Francis. He scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Red Flash in an NCAA Tournament First Four game.
That outing from Cranford came in a losing effort against Alabama State and another of EKU’s offseason additions, senior guard Amarr Knox, who scored the winning layup in that early March Madness contest. Knox was a First Team All-SWAC selection last season, leading the Hornets with 14.5 points and 1.7 steals per game.
But Knox is currently sidelined for the Colonels.
During his opening remarks at EKU’s media day, Hamilton said Knox was working on an NCAA eligibility matter and isn’t able to play in games. Hamilton said Knox — who also has sustained a concussion — is able to practice with the Colonels.
Last week, Sports Illustrated reported that Alabama State, Knox’s former team, is a school of interest in an ongoing NCAA investigation into game fixing and performance manipulation in college basketball. (Currently, there are separate federal and NCAA investigations into game fixing, point shaving and performance manipulation in the sport.)
“Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball player Amarr Knox is currently ineligible under NCAA rules to participate in games,” the school said in a statement to the Herald-Leader. “He is practicing and traveling with the team. Knox and the University are currently working with the NCAA staff and we are hopeful for a quick resolution. The University and Knox cannot comment further at this time.”
Hamilton’s incoming freshman class is highlighted by a pair of dynamic backcourt talents.
MJ Williams, who is only listed at 5-foot-10, has emerged as one of the offseason stars for Hamilton’s group. Williams scored a game-high 23 points in EKU’s exhibition win at Morehead State. (EKU also played a closed scrimmage this offseason against Radford).
Fellow newcomer Tyler Jackson made history when he committed to the Colonels. A four-star prospect who was the No. 17 point guard in the 2025 recruiting class according to 247Sports, Jackson is believed to be the highest-ranked player to sign with Eastern Kentucky in the recruiting rankings era.
Last month, the Colonels got a commitment from Lexington’s top high school player, Bryan Station guard Amari Owens.
EKU basketball to play 2025-26 season in new-look arena
Starting next season, EKU is shifting all of its sports to the United Athletic Conference. Eastern will be one of eight schools in the UAC next year, along with Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, North Alabama, Tarleton State, Texas-Arlington and West Georgia.
That change is still a year away, but a more immediate one is coming at the start of this season.
The renovation project at EKU’s home gym, Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum, is almost complete. Last season, EKU split time between Baptist Health Arena and the Seabury Center on the campus of Berea College.
Eastern’s season opener Thursday night against NAIA school Midway University will be played at the Seabury Center, but that’s the only time this season that EKU will play a home game outside of Richmond.
Alumni Coliseum — which was still used for Eastern’s conference games last season — was built in 1963. Changes to the venue include upgrades to the basketball court, concourse and locker room areas, as well as a 300-seat conference center, team rooms, a courtside club and a team store. The seating bowl at the venue will now be all chair backs.
“I’m so thankful that we’re finally going to get back in there. It’s going to be beautiful,” Hamilton said. “... It’s pretty special when you talk about the history of Alumni Coliseum, it goes back a long way. And the investment that they’ve made in that arena, to change it for our players, for the University, for our fans. It says a lot.”
Eastern’s second home game — a rivalry matchup against Western Kentucky, which is the return game from a December 2023 contest between the schools in Bowling Green — will open the finished Baptist Health Arena on Monday night.
In addition to that WKU game, EKU’s nonconference schedule includes a buy game at Vanderbilt (Wednesday), an in-state matchup at Northern Kentucky (Nov. 24), a home contest against Wofford (Nov. 29) and a road game at Wichita State (Dec. 21).
EKU’s 18-game ASUN schedule begins at Queens University (Jan. 1) and concludes at home against Lipscomb (Feb. 28). The end-of-season ASUN Tournament will be held from March 4-8. The first round of the tournament will take place at campus sites, with the quarterfinals through championship to be held at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
