HOUSTON, Texas – The Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team will open the 2017-18 season at Rice on Friday night. Tipoff from Tudor Fieldhouse is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.
 
WHAT TO KNOW

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- EKU won its final two games of the 2016-17 regular season, including a 68-65 victory over eventual OVC Tournament champion Jacksonville State on February 23.

- The Colonels return five of their top six scorers from last season, including Preseason All-OVC selections Nick Mayo (18.5 points-per-game) and Asante Gist (15.9 points-per-game).

- Mayo has been named to the 2017-18 Karl Malone Award (top power forward in Division I basketball) and Lou Henson Award (top mid-major player in Division I basketball) Watch Lists this preseason.

- In EKU's season finale last year, Mayo became the first Colonel ever to reach 1,000 career points as a sophomore. The 6-9 forward from Oakland, Maine has scored in double figures in 34 consecutive games dating back to his freshman campaign.

- Gist was one of only seven freshmen in the country to finish the 2016-17 regular season averaging more than 15.5 points and 3.5 assists-per-game. The guard from East Orange, New Jersey broke the EKU freshman scoring record with 494 points.

- EKU has won five consecutive season openers, including a 97-87 victory over IUPUI last season; however, the Colonels have not won a true road season opener since a 73-66 victory at Dayton in 2004.

- In its lone exhibition last Friday, EKU defeated NAIA Georgetown College, 91-69. Mayo led four Colonels in double figures with an 18/13 double-double.

- EKU has been picked to finish fourth out of 12 teams in the OVC this season by league head coaches and sports information directors. 

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

- Rice went 23-12 last year and advanced to the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).

- The Owls' top returner is junior guard Connor Cashaw, who averaged 8.0 points and 5.3 rebounds-per-game last season.

- This is the first-ever matchup between EKU and Rice. 

UP NEXT
 
The Colonels fly to Oxford, Mississippi to face Ole Miss on Monday evening, November 13. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.