Saturday is Kids Day at McBrayer Arena! Children ages 12-and-under receive FREE admission!
RICHMOND, Ky. – The EKU basketball teams will host an OVC doubleheader on Saturday at McBrayer Arena. The women's team plays Tennessee State at 4:30 p.m., followed by the men's team against Belmont at 7:00 p.m.
Women's Preview
WHAT TO KNOW
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- The Colonels turned in a gritty performance at defending OVC tournament champion, Belmont University, on Wednesday. EKU trimmed a 16-point second half deficit to five before the Bruins held on for a 74-58 win.
- Senior forward
Jalen O'Bannon logged her third double-double of the season and 18th of her career, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's loss. She now ranks sixth in program history in career double-doubles.
- O'Bannon (14.2 ppg),
Alexus Cooper (12.4 ppg), and
Shavontae Naylor (12.0 ppg) rank in the OVC's top-20 in scoring. Meanwhile, O'Bannon's 6.6 rebounds-per-game ranks 13th in the league and Naylor's 6.3 rpg is 15th. O'Bannon (47.6 percent) and Naylor (47.5 percent) also rank in the conference's top-20 in field goal percentage.
- Senior guard
Katie Pippen (44.7) is third in the Ohio Valley Conference in three-point field goal percentage. Pippen is 17-for-38 from deep this season. Cooper (38.0) is 11th in the category.
- Eastern Kentucky leads the all-time series, 40-20, over TSU. The Colonels handed the Lady Tigers a 70-66 loss at the Gentry Center last season, ending a seven-game home winning streak for TSU.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
- Tennessee State is 7-7 overall and 2-2 in OVC play. The Lady Tigers have won their last two matchups, after dropping their first two conference games of the season.
- Senior guard Jayda Johnson's 13.5 ppg leads the Lady Tigers' offense and is 11th in the league.
- TSU's 10.9 steals-per-game leads the conference and is 33rd nationally. Johnson and senior I'mani Davis each average 2.0 spg.
UP NEXT
EKU hits the road to nearby Morehead State University on Saturday, Jan. 21 for the first game of a men's and women's doubleheader against the Eagles. Saturday's game is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. tip off with the men's game to follow at 7:45 p.m.
Men's Preview
WHAT TO KNOW
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- EKU (8-11, 1-3 OVC) has dropped two straight games, following a 63-49 loss to Tennessee State on Thursday night in Richmond.
- Freshman
Asante Gist led all players in the game with 17 points. Gist currently ranks in the top-10 in the OVC in scoring (ninth / 14.9 points-per-game) and assists (eighth / 3.9 assists-per-game). He leads all freshmen in the league in both categories.
- Sophomore
Nick Mayo contributed 15 points, five rebounds, three blocks two assists and one steal versus TSU.
- EKU blocked a season-high six shots vs. TSU on Saturday.
- Junior
Zach Charles pulled down a team-best 11 rebounds vs. TSU on Thursday. It was his team-leading third double-digit rebounds game of the season.
- For the second straight game, freshman
DeAndre Dishman pulled down a career-high nine boards on Thursday.
- Injured senior
Isaac McGlone missed only the fourth game of his career on Thursday. McGlone ranks 19th all-time in games played at EKU (113).
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
- Belmont arrives in Richmond atop at the OVC East at 11-5 (4-0 OVC). The Bruins beat Morehead State, 84-78, on Thursday in Morehead.
- Senior Evans Bradds leads the Bruins, averaging 20.4 points-per-game and 8.8 rebounds-per-game.
- This is the 13th all-time meeting between EKU and Belmont. Belmont leads the series, 7-5.
- Last year, EKU handed Belmont its first-ever OVC home loss, 88-78, on Feb. 6 in Nashville. The Bruins had won 35 consecutive home conference games dating back to their days in the ASUN.
UP NEXT
EKU will hit the road next week, facing Murray State on Thursday, January 19, at 8 p.m.
