Basketball Teams Resume OVC Play by Hosting Eastern Illinois in a Doubleheader on Wednesday
Both games will air live on ESPN+.
Women’s Preview
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Game Notes | Listen | Buy Tickets
INSIDE THE SERIES
– This is the 41st all-time meeting between the two teams.
– Eastern Illinois leads the all-time series between the two teams, 21-19.
– The Panthers swept the two contests against the Colonels last year.
THE COLONELS
– Eastern comes in at 3-3 (2-0 OVC), after falling to No. 15 Northwesters, 79-50, last Tuesday in Evanston.
– Dafne Gianesini led the way for the Colonels with 14 points off the bench. Gianesini was named College Sports Madness OVC Player of the Week.
– Alice Recanati posted a career-best six assists against the Wildcats.
– EKU is ranked 30th in the country in three-point field goal percentage defense.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
– Eastern Illinois comes into the contest at 3-3 (1-0 OVC), after knocking off SIU Edwardsville, 73-58, on Dec. 18.
– Abby Wahl led the way for the Panthers posting 19 points and 10 rebounds in the win against SIUE. Wahl is averaging 16.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game on the year.
– Four Panthers scored double digits in the win against SIUE.
– EIU is ranked 57th in the country in assists per game on the season.
UP NEXT
Eastern Kentucky continues conference play when the Colonels travel to Austin Peay on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
—
Men’s Preview
Live Broadcast (ESPN+) | Live Stats | Game Notes (PDF) | Live Audio
Buy Tickets I Game Program | Social Media – @EKUHoops
WHAT TO KNOW
EKU (7-2, 1-1 OVC) wrapped up non-conference play with a convincing 86-67 win over High Point on December 22 at McBrayer.
Junior Brandon Knapper – a transfer from WVU – led all players with 21 points in the Colonels’ win over High Point. Knapper is averaging 23 points-per-game in the two games he has played this season.
Junior Cooper Robb recorded eight steals in the win over High Point. That is tied for the most steals by a Colonel in a game since at least 2003. It is also the second-most steals by any player in the country so far this season.
Freshman Wendell Green Jr. had 13 points, a career-high eight assists, three steals and three rebounds in the win over High Point. Green leads the OVC in assists-per-game (5.2).
EKU currently has six players averaging double figures in points: Knapper (23.0), Tre King (15.9), Jomaru Brown (11.8), Green Jr. (10.2), Michael Moreno (10.2), and Curt Lewis (10.0).
EKU now leads the NCAA in total steals (124).
The Colonels rank third in the country in steals/game (13.8), second in turnovers forced/game (22.9) and fourth in turnover margin (+9.6).
EKU posted its best non-conference winning percentage since the 1948-49 season (6-1 / .857).
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Eastern Illinois (3-4, 0-0 OVC) has not yet played an OVC game. The Panthers’ last game was on December 12, a 92-88 home win over Western Illinois.
Josiah Wallace leads EIU in scoring at 17.7 points-per-game.
This is the 43rd meeting between EKU and Eastern Illinois. The Colonels lead the all-time series, 24-18, and won both matchups with the Panthers last season.
UP NEXT
Following Wednesday night’s game, the Colonels will travel to Clarksville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 2 to face off against Austin Peay. Tip is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.