RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky will open league play on Saturday when ASUN Conference newcomer Queens University of Charlotte visits Baptist Health Arena.
 
The game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. and will air live on ESPN+.  The live radio broadcast of the game is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, and can be heard worldwide on EKUSports.com.
 
All upper level seating is just $3 each for the New Year's Eve game.  Click here for $3 tickets.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  This is the first-ever meeting between the two programs. 
 
-  Queens is the fourth team the Colonels have faced this season for the first time in program history.
 
THE COLONELS
-  Eastern Kentucky is 7-6 this season.  Despite trailing by five with eight minutes to go, the Colonels beat UNC Greensboro, 68-64, on Dec. 22.  EKU has won two straight games.
 
-  Devontae Blanton erased Eastern Kentucky's five-point deficit with a personal 8-0 run.  He finished with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists.
 
-  Over the last three games, EKU has held its opponents to 64.3 points per game.
 
-  Also in the last three games, the Colonels have forced 49 turnovers (16.3 per game) and are +16 in turnover margin.
 
-  Eastern Kentucky is 14th in the nation in steals and 23rd in turnover margin.  The Colonels are first in the ASUN in both categories as well.
 
-  Freshman point guard Tayshawn Comer pulled down a season-best five rebounds in EKU's win over UNC Greensboro.  He is averaging 6.2 points, 3.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Queens has had little trouble navigating its first season of play at the NCAA Division I level, starting 11-3 overall and 1-0 in the ASUN Conference.  The Royals opened league play by beating Austin Peay, 81-77, on Thursday.  Queens also has non-conference wins over Marshall (83-82), Bowling Green (72-66), High Point (87-79) and East Tennessee (78-75).   
 
-  In its final six seasons at the Division II level, Queens won 30 or more games four times, advanced to two NCAA Elite 8's and played in one NCAA Final Four.
 
-  On Thursday, the Royals overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to beat Austin Peay at home, scoring 52 points in the second half.  Queens shot 49 percent from the field for the game, out-rebounded the Governors by eight and went to the free throw line 21 more times.
 
-  Kenny Dye led the Royals with 27 points, going 8-of-14 from the field, 3-for-5 from deep and 8-of-14 at the free throw line.  Gavin Rains grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out four assists.
 
-  Dye, a 6-foot senior guard, leads the team in scoring (17.9 ppg) and Rains, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, is the top rebounder (10.6 rpg).  Queens has shot 46 percent from the field this season and has out-rebounded its opponents by 8.4 boards per game.  The Royals have committed 2.5 more turnovers per game than their foes.