Last Year: 23-14; Third (12-6) in the Atlantic Sun Conference
Head Coach: AW Hamilton (Sixth Year; 87-74 at Eastern Kentucky, with no NCAA Tournament appearances)
Projected Starting Lineup
| PG Tayshawn Comer – 6’1″, 190 – Sophomore |
| SG Collin Cooper – 6’2″, 190 – Senior |
| SF Devontae Blanton – 6’6″, 214 – Senior |
| PF Michael Moreno – 6’7″, 225 – Senior |
| C Isaiah Cozart – 6’7″, 240 – Senior |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Tayshawn Comer: 8.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.2 spg – 35.8% FG
Collin Cooper: 10.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.0 spg – 32.7% 3FG
Devontae Blanton: 16.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.9 spg – 45.7% FG
Michael Moreno: 11.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.0 spg – 38.5% 3FG
Isaiah Cozart: 9.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg, 0.5 spg – 63.5% FG
Experienced Reserves
| G Leland Walker – 6’1″, 185 – Sophomore |
| W Pierce Thomas – 6’5″, 210 – Sophomore |
| F John Ukomadu – 6’7″, 195 – Senior |
| G Tanner Buttry – 5’11”, 165 – Sophomore |
| F Montavious Myrick – 6’8″, 208 – Junior |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats
Leland Walker: 9.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.8 spg – 38.7% FG
Pierce Thomas: 2.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.8 spg – 42.2% FG @ Butler
John Ukomadu: 5.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.5 spg, 0.4 bpg – 51.3% FG
Tanner Buttry: 3.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.3 – 33.3% 3FG
Montavious Myrick: 7.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.3 bpg – 52.3% FG @ Southern Union State
Freshmen
| F Robby Todd – 6’7″, 220 – Freshman |
| F/C David Onanina – 6’8″, 230 – Redshirt Freshman |
The term ‘run it back’ has been thrown around quite often lately. Often enough that in some cases, it’s started to become a bit chiché already. Eastern Kentucky can make a pretty strong case they should be approved to use the term this season.
The Colonels return nine of the top ten players who featured in last season’s rotation. Last year, EKU finished four points shy of a CBI title. It’s a deep, strong, versatile group – and head coach AW Hamilton has further added a couple of experienced transfers who are expected to make impacts of their own.
Hamilton has often spoken of the basketball his team plays as the ‘most exciting 40 minutes in sports’. This team has the firepower to carry that banner.
Under Hamilton, EKU has established a reputation for playing an up-tempo, shot-taking style of basketball. Last year, Hamilton’s team took the most shots per game of any group in the country, scoring 78.6 points on average – 30th in all the land. And since all those shots were going up, EKU knew they would have to get on the glass. So they absolutely tore it up rebounding the ball, grabbing the third-most offensive boards and seventh-most total rebounds per game of any team in America. With so much of that terrific productivity back to go on another run, EKU is aiming to put on quite a show.
The star of this ensemble cast is Devontae Blanton, a big, sturdy scoring wing who will be on the preseason shortlist for Atlantic Sun Player of the Year. Even though EKU is a team that spreads minutes around and shares the ball effectively, when Hamilton needs a bucket, he calls upon Blanton. The fourth-year star has improved steadily each season, and can play virtually any role. Blanton loves to score from mid-range, mixing turnaround, step-back and leaning jumpers when he’s not muscling his way closer to the rim. He shot better than 43% on 282 mid-range attempts last year, the third-best mark in the nation among players with at least 250 such shots, per Bart Torvik. With a reliable handle and great vision, Blanton is a strong passer and playmaker, and takes his turn as EKU’s primary ballhandler whether in the halfcourt or in transition.
Blanton is a physical shot-creator who will drive hard both to draw the defense and kick or finish through contact. Blanton went to the free throw line 130 times last year, seventh-most in the ASun, and he’s a 75% career foul shooter. Though Blanton takes a bit longer to release his shot the further out he ranges, he’s also knocked down 63 triples at a 38% clip the past two years. He shoots from a bit of a low angle from deep, and has thus far been mostly a spot-up deep threat. When he puts it on the deck, Blanton is a major from anywhere inside the arc; if he can become as consistently dangerous from the outside as he’s been shooting 2’s, he will become ridiculously hard to guard. One of the best offensive rebounders among the nation’s wings, Blanton snagged 77 friendly misses a year ago; tied for second in the ASun. Whatever Hamilton needs, Blanton can provide, and now the senior leader is out to help EKU procure some hardware.
Hamilton has a pair of veterans returning up front who bring very different games, but a very high level of impact each time out. Michael Moreno is already third on EKU’s all-time list for made triples. With 57 more, he will own the career record; and given that he’s splashed an average of 75 deep balls the past three seasons, Moreno just may get there. The sweet-shooting forward has made 38.5% of his career triple tries, and is as prototypical a stretch-4 as you could ask for. Of the top 15 individual performances in the country last year from deep, the ASun saw three of them; Moreno came in fourth in his own conference with 94 hits from the land of trey. Not just a chucker, Moreno more than earns his keep with a career average of 5.8 rebounds per game, and he posted three double-doubles last year. Like Blanton, Moreno is also a smart passer. He may not be the same level of natural ballhandler and playmaker, but Moreno is great at finding the teammate who’s been left open when his threat from the perimeter mixes up or draws multiple defenders. Moreno has been very efficient inside the arc as well; he has made 58% on all of the 2FG’s he’s attempted in his career, and last season made 67% of his shots around the hoop, per Bart Torvik. One reason for his effectiveness in close? 34% of Moreno’s attempts near the rim came on putbacks, per Hoop-Math; just one of the many benefits of being such an active rebounding team.
Eastern Kentucky in fact featured three of the ASun’s top four individual offensive rebounders; Moreno came in fourth with 68, and Blanton tied for second with his 77. EKU’s top post player, Isaiah Cozart led the way…by a total of forty offensive boards more than his high-scoring teammate. The Richmond, KY native used to play for a directional Kentucky team. He still does, but he used to, too. There are some things which Cozart doesn’t really do; he doesn’t shoot three’s, he doesn’t create a whole lot of his own shots off the bounce…he probably does not know the ten words which will break a strong man’s will or what is locked behind the four-plate-door. The things Cozart does do well, though? He does those things very well indeed.
The state of Kentucky’s all-time leader in blocked shots at the prep level, Cozart was sort of stuck behind a similarly-skilled starter while a Hilltopper; and since, you know, Jamarion Sharp stands almost a foot taller than Cozart, it was rather tough for the young veteran to carve out a consistent role. So last year, Cozart decided to leave Western Kentucky and head back to his home town; and in doing so, he transformed the Colonels’ frontcourt. Despite standing 6’7″, Cozart possesses a 7’2″ wingspan, and is quite mobile. In addition to his peerless work on the glass – Cozart also led the ASun in total rebounds – he ranked first in the league in blocks and FG%, and finished third in player efficiency rating. Cozart made 68% of his shots around the rim – buoyed by 48 dunks – and he produced an outstanding 49 putback stabs, per Hoop-Math. Cozart is the correct post player for Hamilton’s exciting 40 minutes; he doesn’t need plays run for him to produce offensively, he cleans the glass, and he dissuades the other team from getting too many easy looks in close at the frenetic pace the Colonels set. Now that he’s established himself as the local hero who rules the paint, EKU fans and the people of Richmond in general can’t wait to see what Cozart has in store for an encore.
Eastern Kentucky is so much more than three veterans who dominate the boards, though. Last year’s top two freshmen are both back, and each of them is among the best in the league in their respective roles. Leland Walker and Tayshawn Comer had never played a collegiate game before they combined to revitalize Hamilton’s backcourt last winter and, particularly in the case of Comer, help the veterans towards their own breakout campaigns. A quick, smart and poised young playmaker, Comer stepped straight in at the point and showed off a terrific understanding of spacing, changing speed and tempo, and how to keep the big dogs fed. Comer started every game, played the fourth-most minutes on the team, and finished fifth in the ASun conference in assists as a rookie. His 134 helpers were the eighth-most given out by any freshman in the country and the 15th-most ever handed out in one season at EKU, and Comer’s assist rate of 23.5% was the tenth-best in school history. That he managed the Colonels’ go-go pace with just 78 turnovers in 37 games suggests that Comer is just scratching the surface of his potential, and he finished up strong. Over the six games which made up EKU’s postseason run, Comer averaged 10.3 points and 3.5 assists on 44% shooting. After a year spent getting comfortable running the show, Hamilton is expecting even bigger things from his ASun All-Freshman point guard in year two.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 27.9 – Field Goals Made Per Game (29th) |
| .243 – Free Throw Attempts Per Field Goal Attempt (346th) |
| 11.5 – Offensive Rebounds Per Game (9th) |
| 8.5 – Opponent Made 3FG Per Game (316th) |
| 7.1 – Steals Per Game (83rd) |
Walker made the role of 6th man his very own last year, and may very well occupy the same spot as a sophomore. In driving the Colonels’ fast-paced second unit, Walker quickly earned the confidence of his coaches and established himself as a real pest for opposing teams. A confident ballhandler and shot creator, Walker pushes the pace and forces his opponents to react or be blown-by. An assertive, drive-first guard who does his best work matriculating through the lane, Walker has great tight-space awareness and quickness, and does an excellent job of getting to the foul line. With the third-most attempts, second-most makes and second-best percentage on the team last season, Walker’s ability to earn free points is a critical skill for a team which ranked 329th in the land in made free throws per game and 338th in FT%. He is also a solid playmaker who stays aware of his teammates’ movements and will happily set them up on his way to the goal; his assist rate of 23% was barely off the pace of his classmate Comer. As with Comer, the hope is that Walker can shoot a bit more efficiently this year; Walker made just 32% of his triple tries and 39% of his shots overall. He is inventive both around the rim and from mid-range, uses spins and step-backs to create space, and shows all the instincts of a primary scorer. With such a pair of youngsters to lead the way, Eastern Kentucky’s future has already been firmly established.
Cooper Robb was a great shooter and very helpful defender – he actually led the ASun in steals last year. He’s used up all of his eligibility, though, and so Hamilton needed a new veteran deep threat to balance out the youngsters. The player he found just so happens to be a very familiar face with a very familiar name: former conference rival and Central Arkansas scorer Collin Cooper. “I’m excited to welcome Collin”, said Hamilton when the veteran guard signed on in Richmond. “He brings a lot of experience and is a fearless shot maker.” The past three seasons, Cooper has averaged 10.1 points with 138 made triples at a 36% clip. He’s also handed out 20 more assists than turnovers in that span, and is a 79% career foul shooter – all of which being sweet music to Hamilton’s ears. Cooper has not been a standout defender, but his role on the Colonels will be to give a good effort on that end, keep the ball moving crisply, and knock down the multitude of open shots which his playmaking teammates will offer him. Pierce Thomas hasn’t yet proven to be quite the shooter which Cooper has been, but the Butler transfer is a big, well-built wing who has looked great in EKU’s summer practices. A strong presence slashing in from the wing or posting up a smaller defender, Thomas is comfortable using his size to get his points. He’s also an active rebounder and defender who can guard bigger players with his quickness and nimble feet.
There are some proven, quality reserves coming back from last year’s CBI final run as well. While Comer and Walker were doing their things, fellow freshman point guard Turner Buttry was proving that he will be a valuable part of the rotation going forward, too. Having won the 2022 award, Buttry became the first Kentucky Mr Basketball to sign with EKU in more than 40 years, and Buttry is yet another youngster with plenty of poise running the offense. More than 80% of the shots Buttry made last season came from deep. Though he shot just 33% from distance, Buttry proved that he will let fly from quite deep, and can stretch out a defense and then beat it by finding his teammates with a snappy pass. Hamilton can always use solid shooters and ballhandlers, and Buttry should only have more and more to offer as he gains experience.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| @ Purdue – December 29 |
| @ Alabama – December 23 |
| @ UNC-Greensboro – December 7 |
| @ Louisiana – December 13 |
| TBD |
John Ukomadu was another highly active presence on the boards last year. The bouncy, wiry-strong Ukomadu finished fourth on the team in offensive boards, and turned 17 of the 47 friendly misses he snagged into putbacks. Ukomadu is a versatile defender who can cause real problems for less mobile bigs, and his high-flying athleticism also translates offensively. Ukomadu knows that he can be a very efficient scorer within arm’s reach of the goal, and thus he focuses his efforts there. That savvy paid off last year to the tune of Ukomadu shooting 73% on tries in close, with 18 dunks. Ukomadu always brings the energy level up when he steps onto the floor, and the former JuCo veteran worked well screening for and then slamming feeds from Walker last season. Hamilton, his teammates, and Eastern Kentucky’s fans are excited to see more of the same in his second and final season in Richmond.
DaShawn Jackson has averaged just under nine minutes in each of his seasons so far, and saw the floor in 30 of the Colonels’ games last year. He’s only made 26% from downtown so far in his career, but Jackson has a confident stroke and will look to establish himself as more of a threat this season. Redshirt freshman David Onanina is a strong youngster with good size and defensive instincts. He hasn’t looked out of place battling in the paint throughout EKU’s summer practices, and will look to elbow his way into the dunker’s spot for a few chances per contest this winter. He will see a challenge from JuCo import Montavious Myrick, another athletic forward who will help out on the glass.
Eastern Kentucky plays a highly entertaining brand of ball, and they play it well. With all of the triples they take, Hamilton will want to see better than 34.3% of their treys this year, though. If they can play tidy, efficient basketball, this team should be a highly successful combination of skill and that Hamilton-brand excitement. And with a cohesion born of experience and facing battles together, EKU’s roster is built to win in March. Last season, they won three straight overtime games in the CBI, and the semifinal tilt went 2OT; this group has been tested, and they keep on fighting.
“It’s really a blessing that all of us got the chance to come back,” Walker told Fox 56 this summer. “At EKU I found a brotherhood, and we all decided to come back because we’re like a true family here and we’re trying to do something special this year.”
“I feel like we have the proper pieces to be a championship team. I think we had championship-level talent,” Moreno added. This is a team which has big goals. They will get to measure themselves against strong competition early, too – EKU has dates with both Alabama and Purdue before they hit conference play. With it plainly stated that they know themselves to have championship potential, this is also a team which has some swagger. And they’re likely to cause big problems for anyone who sees them come tourney time.
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