RICHMOND, Ky. – Senior guard Mike Rose concluded the 2008-09 men’s basketball season as the top three-point shooter in the nation according to NCAA statistics. Rose, the first Colonel since 1980 to earn back-to-back first team All-OVC honors, finished the year shooting 48.1 percent from behind the arc.

“The person who deserves the most credit for Mike’s success as a shooter is Mike Rose,” EKU head coach Jeff Neubauer said. “During the summer of his freshman season, he went home and made himself into a tremendous shooter. Each year since then he has continued to refine his game. This is also a great tribute to our assistant coaches who have worked tirelessly with Mike on his shot.”

Rose made at least one three-pointer in 27 of the 31 games this past winter. The native of Naperville, Ill., averaged 3.2 three-pointers made per game and tied a program record by netting seven trifectas at Eastern Illinois on Jan. 15. Rose went on to hit the game-winning three-pointers in back-to-back games at Southeast Missouri (Jan. 17) and Chicago State (Jan. 20). He twice finished 6-for-8 (75 percent) from behind the arc in wins over Winston-Salem State (Nov. 18) and Tennessee Tech (Feb. 5).

“Mike was one of the most efficient perimeter players in the country last year,” Neubauer said. “It is very difficult for a player who makes over three three-pointers a game to lead the country in three-point field goal percentage.”

Rose finished his Colonel career second on the EKU all-time scoring list (1,763 points) and three-pointers made list (271 trifectas).

As a team in 2008-09, the Colonels averaged 10.3 three-pointers made per game which ranked second nationally. Eastern Kentucky also finished among the top-10 nationally in three-point field goal percentage (40.1 percent – ninth) and fewest turnovers per game (10.9 – seventh).

EKU concluded the 2008-09 season 18-13 overall and 10-8 in the OVC. This was the fifth straight year the Colonels have posted double-figure league victories. Only Murray State (six) has a longer active streak