By SANTOS PEREZ
Eastern Kentucky’s Denzel Richardson (3) blocks out Miami’s Angel Rodriguez (13) as they wait for a rebound on a free throw during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Coral Gables, Fla., Friday, Dec. 19, 2014. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
Corey Walden scored 18 points to help Eastern Kentucky rout No. 18 Miami 72-44 on Friday night.
The Colonels (6-4) never trailed, led by two at halftime and pulled away with a 22-2 run early in the second half. Isaac McGlone keyed the surge with three 3-pointers and his third conversion from behind the arc gave Eastern Kentucky a 43-27 lead with 13:21 remaining.
Miami (9-2) was scoreless for an 8:27 stretch until Davon Reed made two free throws with 10:40 left to cut Eastern Kentucky’s lead to 43-29.
The Colonels ran off eight straight points on consecutive 3-pointers from Timmy Knipp and Jaylen Babb-Harrison’s layup for a 51-29 lead with 8:49 remaining.
Knipp scored 17 points, Eric Stutz added 13, and Knipp had 12.
Reed’s 3-pointer with 8:07 left ended a field goal drought of 10:33 for Miami.
Sheldon McClellan led the Hurricanes with 14 points.
TIP-INS
Eastern Kentucky: The Colonels are 5-0 when leading at halftime.
Miami: Giard Angel Rodriguez, the Hurricanes’ second leading scorer with a 14.2 average, scored one point. Rodriguez was 0 for 6 from the field.
UP NEXT:
Eastern Kentucky: Visits Florida Atlantic on Monday
Miami: Faces Providence at the Barclays Center in New York on Monday.