RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team hit 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) free throws against UC Irvine Tuesday night on the way to a 67-57 victory. The game was part of the 2009 O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic.

A soft fast break jumper by junior Justin Stommes with 4:26 left in the game gave the Colonels (3-1) a comfortable 13-point lead, 57-44. However, torrid three-point shooting by Mike Wilder kept UC Irvine (2-3) in the game.

Wilder hit his fifth three-pointer of the game, and third of the second half, with 3:17 showing on the clock to cut EKU’s lead to 10. Wilder sank another three-pointer with just over a minute to bring the Anteaters to within eight. Darren Moore then hit a trifecta from the wing with 56 seconds left in the game to make the score 61-55.

Junior Josh Daniel and sophomore Joshua Jones combined to go 6-of-6 from the charity stripe in the last minute to secure the hard-earned victory for EKU.

Stommes led all scorers in the game with 21 points on 7-of-12 (58.3 percent) shooting. This marked the third time in four games the Cold Spring, Minn., native reached the 20-point plateau. The 6-7 guard also collected six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Daniel (10 points), Jones (12 points) and senior Josh Taylor (16 points) rounded out four Colonels in double digits.

Wilder led UC Irvine with 18 points on 6-of-9 (66.7 percent) shooting from deep.

Seven straight points by the Colonels, capped by a put back by Taylor with 6:46 left in the first half, gave EKU an early 13-point cushion, 26-13.

UC Irvine pulled to within four, 27-23, on two Eric Wise free throws with 1:37 remaining in the half. The Colonels responded with a Spencer Perrin dunk and Stommes slicing layup to send EKU into the locker room with a 31-23 halftime lead.

Taylor led all scorers at the half with 13 points on 3-of-7 (42.8 percent) three-point shooting. Stommes chipped in with 12 points in the first stanza.

Wise, Wilder and Michael Hunter recorded six points each to pace the Anteaters.

The Colonels conclude play in the O’Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic tomorrow night, Nov. 25, when they host UTSA at 6 p.m.