RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky claimed its first ASUN victory in program history and ran its winning streak to four games as the Colonels knocked off Central Arkansas, 61-46, in Wednesday night's conference opener at McBrayer Arena.
 
UCA pulled out to a 6-0 lead before Alice Recanati knocked down a three to put the Colonels on the board at the 6:21 mark of the first quarter. After a slow start, Eastern responded by holding the Sugar Bears scoreless for the final 4:14 and capping a 12-0 run with a Brie Crittendon three-pointer to take a 17-11 lead into the second quarter.
 
Central Arkansas clamped down defensively to begin the second period as the Sugar Bears took an 18-17 lead while keeping EKU off the scoreboard for over six minutes. Jayla Johnson put the Colonels back on top with a basket with 3:38 to go in the half and EKU extended its lead to 30-25 going into halftime.
 
Eastern Kentucky led throughout the third quarter and closed the quarter up eight as Recanati banked in a shot at the buzzer to put the Colonels ahead 46-38 entering the fourth.
 
EKU used a pair of free throws from Johnson to go up 48-38 with 9:11 remaining in the game and led by double-digits the rest of the way. The Colonel defense held UCA without a field goal for the first 2:53 of the quarter and forced the Sugar Bears to shoot 2-for-15 from the field in the final quarter.
 
Johnson scored a game-high 19 points and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Recanati netted 13 points and finished with a team-high five assists. Emma Hacker and I'Liyah Green each grabbed seven rebounds. Hacker also nabbed three steals.
 
The Colonels shot 8-for-16 (50.0 percent) from beyond the arc and were 17-for-20 (85.0 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
Eastern Kentucky travels to Bellarmine on Saturday afternoon for a 2:00 p.m. contest.