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Live Stats I Live Audio I Live Webcast I Game Notes
RICHMOND, Ky. – A season-opening seven-game home stand will conclude for the undefeated Eastern Kentucky men’s basketball team on Saturday against Western Carolina. Tip-off at McBrayer Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The live radio broadcast of the game is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, and can be heard worldwide on EKUSports.com. A live video broadcast of the contest is available on OVCDigitalNetwork.com.
Eastern Kentucky is off to its best start in 66 years. The last time EKU started a season with six straight wins was in 1946-47 when the “Maroons” won their first 11 games. The Colonels’ 6-0 start is tied for the fourth best in program history. EKU’s current six game winning streak is its longest since winning seven straight in January and February of 2007.
The Colonels are the only remaining team in the Ohio Valley Conference without a loss this season. EKU is now one of only five undefeated mid-major teams in the nation. Eastern received one vote in last week’s CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25. This week the Colonels received 32 votes to move to 31st in the poll.
The Colonels have shot 50 percent or better from the field in four of their first six games and knocked down 49 percent in another game.
Western Carolina will be the highest scoring team the Colonels have played this season. The Catamounts are averaging 74 points per game. WCU is 3-4 overall and 1-0 in the Southern Conference. Western has wins over Mars Hill, Howard and Furman. The team’s losses have come against UNC Asheville, Wichita State, Western Kentucky and Austin Peay.
Trey Sumler, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, leads the team in scoring (18.9 ppg) and assists (4.7 apg). He has made 48 percent of his shots from the field and 49 percent from three-point range. Sumler had 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in WCU’s 79-65 win over Furman.
Tawaski King, a 6-foot-8 forward, is the team’s top rebounder (5.4 rpg) and second leading scorer (13.6 ppg). Tom Tankelewicz is also scoring in double figures (11 ppg).
The Catamounts are allowing 73 points per game. WCU opponents have shot 44 percent from the field, but only 30 percent from behind the arc. Western is being out-rebounded by four boards per game.
This will be the third meeting between the two programs. Eastern won the first two meetings in 1969 and 1970. Western Carolina beat the Colonels 81-74 in 2011.
