Charlotte wins CBI title, holds off Eastern Kentucky 71-68
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) Aly Khalifa scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half, Montre’ Gipson made three 3-pointer in the second half, and No. 3 seed Charlotte held off No. 8 seed Eastern Kentucky 71-68 on Wednesday night in the championship game of the College Basketball Invitational.
Charlotte (22-14) finished the season with its most wins since the 2000-01 campaign, when it took down Tennessee in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The 49ers were appearing in the postseason for the first time since earning an at-large bid to the 2013 NIT.
Charlotte made eight of its first nine shots and led 18-5 as Eastern Kentucky only made two field goals in the opening eight minutes. Khalifa made all six of his shots in the first half to help the 49ers build a 42-24 lead at halftime after shooting 72% (18 of 25) from the field. EKU had five scoring droughts of at least 90 seconds in the first half.
It was the fourth time in the tournament the Colonels trailed at halftime - before rattling off three straight overtime wins to reach the title game.
Cooper Robb, who played at Charlotte from 2018-20, made two 3-pointers during EKU's 12-5 run to open the second half. But Charlotte kept its double-digit lead until the 8:44 mark when EKU scored 13 unanswered points.
Robb made a steal and raced the other way for a long 3-pointer to get EKU within 69-68 with 47.4 seconds left. Isaiah Folkes answered with a layup, off a nice pass by Gipson, for a three-point lead with 16 seconds left. After a timeout, Robb had a 3-point attempt blocked by Brice Williams and Tayshawn Comer had another attempt for EKU but it came up short.
Williams, averaging a team-high 14 points per game, finished with six points, five rebounds and two blocks for Charlotte. Gipson added 13 points, Lu’Cye Patterson had 11 and Folkes scored 10.
Robb made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points for Eastern Kentucky (23-14), which had the third-most wins in program history. Michael Moreno added 14 points and Devontae Blanton, averaging a team-high 17.4 points, was scoreless in the first half and did not play after halftime.
Isaiah Cozart was held to 10 points and four rebounds after securing a double-double in Eastern Kentucky's opening three tournament games. Cozart set a career-highs for points (20) and rebounds (17) in the opener, and he scored a career-best 31 points in the semifinals.
The CBI trophy remains in the state of North Carolina after UNC Wilmington defeated Middle Tennessee last season.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Aly Khalifa vs. Isaiah Cozart (Isaiah Folkes gains possession) | ||
| 19:30 | | +2 | Aly Khalifa makes two point layup | 2-0 |
| 19:13 |  | +2 | Isaiah Cozart makes two point layup (Michael Moreno assists) | 2-2 |
| 18:42 | | +3 | Aly Khalifa makes three point jump shot (Brice Williams assists) | 5-2 |
| 18:25 | | +3 | Michael Moreno makes three point jump shot (Tayshawn Comer assists) | 5-5 |
| 18:02 | | +3 | Aly Khalifa makes three point jump shot (Jackson Threadgill assists) | 8-5 |
| 17:38 | | Isaiah Cozart misses two point layup | ||
| 17:36 | | Aly Khalifa defensive rebound | ||
| 17:25 | | +2 | Jackson Threadgill makes two point jump shot | 10-5 |
| 17:10 | | Michael Moreno misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:08 | | Aly Khalifa defensive rebound | ||
| 17:00 | | +2 | Isaiah Folkes makes two point layup | 12-5 |
| 16:35 | | Michael Moreno misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:33 | | Jackson Threadgill defensive rebound | ||
| 16:21 | | +2 | Isaiah Folkes makes two point layup (Aly Khalifa assists) | 14-5 |
| 15:53 | | Cooper Robb misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:51 | | Montre' Gipson defensive rebound | ||
| 15:36 | | Jackson Threadgill misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:34 | | Michael Moreno defensive rebound | ||
| 15:24 | | Tayshawn Comer turnover (palming) | ||
| 15:24 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:02 | | Igor Milicic Jr. turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 14:44 | | Devontae Blanton misses two point jump shot | ||
| 14:42 | | Brice Williams defensive rebound | ||
| 14:15 | | +2 | Isaiah Folkes makes two point jump shot | 16-5 |
| 13:49 | | Darden Kapiti misses two point hook shot | ||
| 13:47 | | Lu'Cye Patterson defensive rebound | ||
| 13:16 | | Lu'Cye Patterson turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 13:03 | | Devontae Blanton misses two point jump shot | ||
| 13:01 | | Montre' Gipson defensive rebound | ||
| 12:36 | | +2 | Lu'Cye Patterson makes two point jump shot | 18-5 |
| 12:25 | | John Ukomadu turnover (traveling) | ||
| 11:58 | | Lu'Cye Patterson misses two point layup | ||
| 11:56 | | Darden Kapiti defensive rebound | ||
| 11:39 | | +3 | Cooper Robb makes three point jump shot (Turner Buttry assists) | 18-8 |
| 11:25 | | +2 | Daylen Berry makes two point layup (Aly Khalifa assists) | 20-8 |
| 11:08 | | +2 | John Ukomadu makes two point layup | 20-10 |
| 10:49 | | +2 | Lu'Cye Patterson makes two point layup | 22-10 |
| 10:41 | | Cooper Robb misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:39 | | Daylen Berry defensive rebound | ||
| 10:38 | | John Ukomadu personal foul (Daylen Berry draws the foul) | ||
| 10:38 | | TV timeout | ||
| 10:13 | | Daylen Berry misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:11 | | John Ukomadu defensive rebound | ||
| 10:04 | | Cooper Robb misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:02 | | Brice Williams defensive rebound | ||
| 9:45 | | +2 | Aly Khalifa makes two point jump shot | 24-10 |
| 9:33 | | John Ukomadu misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:31 | | Montre' Gipson defensive rebound | ||
| 9:21 | | John Ukomadu shooting foul (Montre' Gipson draws the foul) | ||
| 9:21 | | +1 | Montre' Gipson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-10 |
| 9:21 | | +1 | Montre' Gipson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-10 |
| 9:02 | | +2 | Leland Walker makes two point jump shot | 26-12 |
| 8:40 | | +2 | Aly Khalifa makes two point layup (Montre' Gipson assists) | 28-12 |
| 8:40 | | Colonels 30 second timeout | ||
| 8:11 | | Leland Walker misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:09 | | Montre' Gipson defensive rebound | ||
| 8:01 | | Montre' Gipson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:59 | | Brice Williams offensive rebound | ||
| 7:48 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:42 | | +2 | Jackson Threadgill makes two point layup | 30-12 |
| 7:19 | | Brice Williams shooting foul (Isaiah Cozart draws the foul) | ||
| 7:19 | | Isaiah Cozart misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 7:19 | | Isaiah Cozart misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 7:19 | | Jackson Threadgill defensive rebound | ||
| 6:49 | | Jackson Threadgill misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:47 | | Isaiah Cozart defensive rebound | ||
| 6:22 | | Tayshawn Comer misses two point jump shot | ||
| 6:20 | | Isaiah Cozart offensive rebound | ||
| 6:20 | | Isaiah Cozart misses two point layup | ||
| 6:19 | | Igor Milicic Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 6:19 | | Cooper Robb personal foul (Igor Milicic Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 5:48 | | Michael Moreno turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 5:40 | | Jackson Threadgill personal foul (Devontae Blanton draws the foul) | ||
| 5:29 | | Michael Moreno misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:27 | | Leland Walker offensive rebound | ||
| 5:27 | | Aly Khalifa shooting foul (Isaiah Cozart draws the foul) | ||
| 5:27 | | +1 | Isaiah Cozart makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-13 |
| 5:27 | | +1 | Isaiah Cozart makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 30-14 |
| 5:01 | | +3 | Brice Williams makes three point jump shot (Lu'Cye Patterson assists) | 33-14 |
| 4:34 | | Tayshawn Comer turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 4:11 | | Brice Williams misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:09 | | Leland Walker defensive rebound | ||
| 4:02 | | Devontae Blanton misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:00 | | Lu'Cye Patterson defensive rebound | ||
| 3:55 | | +2 | Lu'Cye Patterson makes two point jump shot | 35-14 |
| 3:30 | | +3 | Michael Moreno makes three point jump shot (Devontae Blanton assists) | 35-17 |
| 3:19 | | Montre' Gipson offensive foul (Tayshawn Comer draws the foul) | ||
| 3:19 | | Isaiah Folkes turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 3:19 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:04 | | Leland Walker turnover (bad pass) (Montre' Gipson steals) | ||
| 2:48 | | Tayshawn Comer shooting foul (Brice Williams draws the foul) | ||
| 2:48 | | +1 | Brice Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 36-17 |
| 2:48 | | Brice Williams misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 2:48 | | Michael Moreno defensive rebound | ||
| 2:28 | | Tayshawn Comer turnover (lost ball) (Montre' Gipson steals) | ||
| 2:21 | | +2 | Montre' Gipson makes two point jump shot | 38-17 |
| 2:03 | | +3 | Michael Moreno makes three point jump shot (Tayshawn Comer assists) | 38-20 |
| 1:31 | | +2 | Daylen Berry makes two point layup (Brice Williams assists) | 40-20 |
| 1:11 | | +2 | Darden Kapiti makes two point hook shot | 40-22 |
| 0:48 | | Brice Williams misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:46 | | Michael Moreno defensive rebound | ||
| 0:39 | | +2 | Leland Walker makes two point jump shot | 40-24 |
| 0:07 | | +2 | Aly Khalifa makes two point layup | 42-24 |
| 0:01 | | Tayshawn Comer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | 49ers defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | | — | ||
| 19:47 | | +3 | Cooper Robb makes three point jump shot | 42-27 |
| 19:28 | | +3 | Aly Khalifa makes three point jump shot (Isaiah Folkes assists) | 45-27 |
| 19:13 | | +2 | Tayshawn Comer makes two point layup | 45-29 |
| 19:01 | | Isaiah Folkes turnover (lost ball) (Leland Walker steals) | ||
| 18:55 | | +2 | Leland Walker makes two point layup | 45-31 |
| 18:39 | | 49ers 30 second timeout | ||
| 18:39 | | TV timeout | ||
| 18:37 | | Cooper Robb personal foul (Brice Williams draws the foul) | ||
| 18:16 | | Aly Khalifa misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:14 | | Cooper Robb defensive rebound | ||
| 17:44 | | Leland Walker misses two point jump shot | ||
| 17:43 | | Colonels turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 17:40 | | Leland Walker personal foul (Lu'Cye Patterson draws the foul) | ||
| 17:30 | | Jackson Threadgill misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:28 | | Michael Moreno defensive rebound | ||
| 17:14 | | +3 | Cooper Robb makes three point jump shot (Leland Walker assists) | 45-34 |
| 16:37 | | Leland Walker personal foul (Lu'Cye Patterson draws the foul) | ||
| 16:28 | | +2 | Brice Williams makes two point layup (Aly Khalifa assists) | 47-34 |
| 16:09 | | Tayshawn Comer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:07 | | Michael Moreno offensive rebound | ||
| 16:04 | | +2 | Michael Moreno makes two point layup | 47-36 |
| 15:28 | | +2 | Isaiah Folkes makes two point layup (Lu'Cye Patterson assists) | 49-36 |
| 15:11 | | Cooper Robb misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:09 | | Isaiah Folkes defensive rebound | ||
| 14:56 | | +3 | Aly Khalifa makes three point jump shot (Isaiah Folkes assists) | 52-36 |
| 14:33 | | Leland Walker misses two point jump shot | ||
| 14:31 | | Leland Walker offensive rebound | ||
| 14:26 | | Tayshawn Comer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:24 | | Aly Khalifa defensive rebound | ||
| 14:08 | | Brice Williams turnover (traveling) | ||
| 14:08 | | TV timeout | ||
| 13:49 | | Brice Williams blocks John Ukomadu's two point jump shot | ||
| 13:47 | | John Ukomadu offensive rebound | ||
| 13:43 | | +2 | John Ukomadu makes two point layup | 52-38 |
| 13:11 | | Darden Kapiti personal foul (Montre' Gipson draws the foul) | ||
| 13:00 | | +3 | Igor Milicic Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jackson Threadgill assists) | 55-38 |
| 12:41 | | John Ukomadu turnover (traveling) | ||
| 12:13 | | +3 | Montre' Gipson makes three point jump shot (Igor Milicic Jr. assists) | 58-38 |
| 11:49 | | Tayshawn Comer turnover (lost ball) (Isaiah Folkes steals) | ||
| 11:45 | | Tayshawn Comer shooting foul (Isaiah Folkes draws the foul) | ||
| 11:45 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:45 | | Isaiah Folkes misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 11:45 | | Isaiah Folkes misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 11:45 | | Cooper Robb defensive rebound | ||
| 11:35 | | Leland Walker turnover (lost ball) (Isaiah Folkes steals) | ||
| 11:20 | | Igor Milicic Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:18 | | Michael Moreno defensive rebound | ||
| 11:10 | | Michael Moreno misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:08 | | Leland Walker offensive rebound | ||
| 11:00 | | Isaiah Folkes personal foul (Leland Walker draws the foul) | ||
| 10:43 | | +3 | Turner Buttry makes three point jump shot (Michael Moreno assists) | 58-41 |
| 10:19 | | Jackson Threadgill misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:17 | | Cooper Robb defensive rebound | ||
| 10:04 | | +2 | Darden Kapiti makes two point jump shot (Cooper Robb assists) |