EMPORIA STATE PULLS AWAY FOR A 94-82 WIN OVER STERLING

November 18, 2019-Emporia State got a career high 30 points from Keyon Thomas on the way to a 94-82 win over Sterling on Monday night in White Auditorium.
 
The Hornets were sluggish off the start with Thomas losing the ball out of bounds on the opening tip. The Warriors got out to a 6-2 lead before Emporia State went on a 13-4 run to take a four point lead with 12:34 left. Sterling answered with a 14-4 run of their own to go up 25-19 with 7:41 left in the half. Emporia State was still down by four with 3:17 left when the Hornets closed the half on a 9-1 run and take a 42-39 lead into the break.
 
The two teams battled back and forth for the first ten minutes of the second half. The Hornets started to pull away with a 13-2 run to take a 75-62 lead with 6:35 left in the game.  The lead would eventually reach 17 points on a Justin Williams three-pointer with 4:52 remaining.  The Warriors would eventually close to the final spread of 12 points at 94-82 on a Marquise English three-pointer with 12 seconds left for the final score.
 
Thomas was 12 of 17 from the field and five of nine from the three-point line for a career high 30 points. Justin Williams had 18 points, Devin Rottweiler had 15 and Zac Owen 12 points for the Hornets.
 
Emporia State is back in action on Friday, November 22 when they play host to Rockhurst. Tip-off from Slaymaker Court in White Auditorium is set for 6:30 p.m.
 
NOTES
The 30 points by Keyon Thomas are the most in a game by a Hornet freshman since Wes Book scored 32 against then Mo.-Rolla on December 30, 2004.