<>Become A Fan Of Colonel Basketball On Facebook
<>Follow Colonel Basketball On Twitter


Live Stats for all games I Live audio for FIU/Youngstown games I Live audio for KSU game I Invitational web site

RICHMOND, Ky. – With four starters returning from a team that won a school record 25 games, the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team has been picked by nearly every preseason publication to win the Ohio Valley Conference in 2013-14. The Colonels are not running from those expectations.

"We have encouraged our players to embrace the expectations," said head coach Jeff Neubauer, the 2013 NABC District Coach of the Year and second winningest coach in EKU history. "It's not something that we're trying to dodge or run from. It's fun to be picked to win the league. We're trying to enjoy the experience and push ourselves at the same time."

The 2013-14 season begins Friday against Florida International at the Kennesaw State Invitational.

"Every time one of the publications came out in the fall, I went and purchased a copy and put it in the locker room for the team to read," the coach added. "I wanted them to see that we were picked to win the league and that we had high expectations. It's not something we're going to run from at all."

A big part of last season's success was a new pressure defense that led to an OVC-best -5.69 turnover margin. The Colonels ranked fourth in the nation in that category and 21st with 8.9 steals per game. Many of those steals led to easy run-outs on the offensive end. Neubauer expects a senior-laden team to improve those numbers this season and to fuel the offense with even more run-outs created by the defense.

"We became one of the three best defensive teams in the OVC last year," Neubauer said. "We've made it very clear to our team that to win the OVC and go to the NCAA Tournament we need to be the best defensive team. Our team understands that our intensity on the defensive end, our attention to detail on the defensive end and our effort on the defensive end will ultimately be the deciding factor in how successful we can be."

A total of 13 letter winners return from last season's record setting team. In addition to setting a new school record for victories, Eastern won a national postseason tournament game for the first time in 68 years. Along the way, the Colonels started the season 9-0 – their best start since 1946-47 – won a school record nine road games and finished with an RPI ranking of 69.

EKU was one of the final nine unbeaten teams in the nation and the last remaining undefeated mid-major team. Eastern (25-10) finished with the second best record in the OVC at 12-4 and earned a spot in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

The effectiveness of Eastern's pressure defense in 2013-14 could be impacted by new rules regarding defending the player with the ball. Four types of illegal contact with ball handlers were cited among the rules. These included placing and keeping a hand or forearm on an opponent, putting two hands on an opponent, continually jabbing an opponent with a hand or forearm and impeding a dribbler's progress with an arm bar.

The key will be which teams adapt to the changes the quickest. If EKU opponents are called for more fouls, the Colonels will be ready to take advantage. Eastern Kentucky ranked fourth in the nation in free throw shooting (78 percent) a year ago. Seven of the 13 returning players shot 80 percent or better at the charity stripe.

The four returning starters are guards Glenn Cosey (15.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.2 apg), Corey Walden (13 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Tarius Johnson (6.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), and forward Eric Stutz (8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg).

Cosey was chosen NABC All-District. He and Walden were members of the OVC All-Newcomer Team. Cosey will take on more traditional point guard duties this season, but Neubauer expects the former junior college All-American to adapt quickly. Not only is Walden a complete offensive player, he's a defensive stalwart.

"I think Glenn has done a great job of moving over to the point. We play with a two-guard system, so the transition from one guard position to the other is minimal. Glenn is very comfortable there," Neubauer said. "Corey is an outstanding basketball player. He is certainly our best defender, he's very good guarding on the ball and off the ball."

Johnson and Stutz were the only two players to start every game. Stutz ended the season by averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in four postseason games.

"We hope Eric continues where he left off. He played with a lot of energy through those last six or seven games," Neubauer said. "Eric is very important to our defense because of his size. He is one of our best rebounders and a very good passer and playmaker. He's very important to our success."

The only starter lost is point guard Mike DiNunno (14.8 ppg, 4.3 apg), a first team All-OVC selection.

"With all the injuries we had last year, Mike was the one piece that allowed us to continue to win even as we were missing other pieces of the puzzle," said Neubauer. "Mike really did carry us during certain parts of last season."

Look for seniors Marcus Lewis and Orlando Williams to take more prominent roles in DiNunno's absence. Lewis played in every game last season, averaging six points and 2.4 rebounds per contest. He may currently be best known for his play above the rim, having been named the fifth best dunker in college basketball by NBC Sports. However, he's becoming a more well-rounded player.

"Marcus Lewis has had a tremendous preseason," said Neubauer. "He's certainly very athletic, but he also has developed as an offensive player. He's shooting the ball much better and is dangerous off the dribble. Marcus is really turning into a complete player."

Williams, who did not become eligible until the second semester after transferring from Miami (Ohio), scored in double figures in four of his first six games. He then suffered an injury that cost him the next 11 games.

SCHEDULE
Six games against NCAA Tournament teams highlight the 2013-14 Eastern Kentucky schedule. The Colonels will play a total of eight games against teams that played in the postseason a year ago.

"This year's schedule is designed to challenge an experienced team," Neubauer said. "We will learn so much from the different styles that we will face throughout November and December."

Of Eastern's 30 games, 16 will be against teams that posted a winning record in 2012-13 and seven will be against squads that won 20 or more.

EKU will open the 2013-14 campaign on Nov. 8 against Florida International at the Kennesaw State Invitational. Eastern Kentucky will conclude play in the Kennesaw State Invitational with a home game on Nov. 13 against Warren Wilson College.

The next three games will be played at home as well – High Point on Nov. 16, Alabama A&M on Nov. 19 and Brescia University on Nov. 22. Eastern beat High Point 73-70 on the road last season. The Panthers also earned a bid to the 2013 CIT.

The Colonels are 61-14 (.813) at home over the last five years and have won 16 straight home non-conference games.

EKU's first two games against teams that played in last season's NCAA Tournament will be on Nov. 30 and Dec. 5. The first is at North Carolina State against a Wolfpack team that went 24-11. The second will be at Virginia Commonwealth, which finished 27-9 in 2012-13.

After a road game at Longwood, Eastern will face two more NCAA Tournament teams. EKU plays at Wisconsin (23-12) on Dec. 14 and will then host North Carolina A&T (20-17) on Dec. 18 at McBrayer Arena.

The team's quest for the program's seventh OVC regular season championship begins with road games at Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois Edwardsville the first week of January. The second week of January could be called "Rivalry Week" for the Colonels. On Jan. 8, Murray State (21-10) makes its first appearance at McBrayer Arena since Dec. 2, 2010. Three days later EKU will play at Morehead State.

The first meeting with Belmont (26-7), the 2013 OVC Champions, will be in Richmond on Thursday night, Jan. 16. A week and a half later, Eastern will play at Belmont. Morehead State comes to Richmond on Saturday, Feb. 8.

The 2014 OVC Tournament begins with first round action on March 5. The finals are scheduled for March 8. The NCAA Tournament First Four is set for March 18-19. The second round will be played March 20-21.