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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball team will open Ohio Valley Conference play at in-state rival Murray State on New Year’s Eve. Tip is set for 2:00 p.m. ET.

Monday’s matchup is a meeting of the two top teams in the OVC. EKU (6-5) sits atop the East Division while Murray State (7-4) leads the West Division. The OVC moved to a divisional format in the offseason after the addition of Belmont gave the league 12 teams.

The New Year’s Eve tilt also pits one of the top defensive teams in the league against one of the top offensive teams in the league. EKU has limited opponents to fewer than 60 points-per-game this season and leads the conference in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense (.355) and blocked shots (4.6 bpg). Murray State, meanwhile, averages almost 70 points-per-game and leads the league in scoring margin (+9.4) while ranking second in scoring offense.

Senior Jade Barber enters OVC play averaging a double-double for EKU (12.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and she leads the OVC in rebounding, field goal percentage (.632) and blocked shots (1.8 bpg). Barber’s fellow seniors have also performed well for the Lady Colonels in the early going, as Brittany Coles is averaging 9.7 points-per-game, Raechele Gray is averaging 5.8 assists over Eastern’s last five games and Alex Jones is second in the OVC in free throw percentage (.833).

Mariah Robinson leads Murray State’s high-powered offense, ranking third in the OVC with 17.2 points-per-game. Robinson also ranks second on the team in rebounds (6.7 rpg) and assists (2.0 apg).

Murray State had won seven consecutive games before falling at Missouri, 69-55, on Dec. 20.

EKU is 3-1 all-time in OVC openers under head coach Chrissy Roberts, including wins over Murray State in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Monday’s game will be the 82nd all-time matchup between the Lady Colonels and the Racers. EKU leads the series by a large margin, 52-29.

Following its game against Murray State, EKU will host three consecutive conference games at McBrayer Arena, beginning with SIUE on Jan. 5 at 4:00 p.m. ET.