Penny, Euton Lead Eagles to KIAC Championship Game

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NEW ALBANY, Ind. – Asbury used a 19-1 run to close the first half en route to a dominating 87-68 win over Indiana East in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Tournament semifinals hosted by Indiana Southeast.  The Eagles will take on the winner of tonight’s other semifinal between top ranked Indiana Southeast and fourth-seeded Cincinnati Christian University.

CJ Penny scored a career-high 32 points and recorded his first double-double with 11 rebounds.  Penny made 14-of-19 from the floor.  His 32 point performance is the single game high for an Eagle this year and is only the second 30-point game of the season. 

Dakotah Euton followed his 26-point performance in the quarterfinals with his team-tying high fifth double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds.  The 14 rebounds tie his career high from earlier this season against Point Park. 

Asbury shot 49-percent from the floor and dominated inside with 50 points in the paint.  Indiana East could only muster 10 points in the paint and shot just 34-percent for the game.  Asbury used their size to grab 52 rebounds including 16 offensive boards that led to 14 second chance points.  Indiana East was led by Huston Clark’s 16 points and seven rebounds.

The lead changed hands just three times as IUE scored first but Asbury quickly countered.  IUE held the lead for the middle of the first half before the Eagles re-took it for good at 30-29 on a putback by Euton.  That was the fourth point in an 11-0 run that turned into a 19-1 run to close the half.

The Eagles have won their two tournament games by an average of 24 points.  Penny is averaging 27.5 points per game and 10 rebounds per game in the tournament and Euton is averaging 22.5 points and 12 rebounds per game in the tournament.

Asbury will meet either Cincinnati Christian or Indiana Southeast in Tuesday’s championship game at 6 pm.  The Eagles swept CCU and lost both including a double overtime thriller against IUS.  Their semifinal game will tip at 6 pm Monday.