RICHMOND, Ky. – In the final home stand of the season, EKU women's basketball (15-12, 8-6 ASUN) defeats North Alabama (10-14, 5-8 ASUN) by a score of 76-63 for its 11th home win of the 2022-23 season inside Baptist Health Arena on Thursday night.
 
Alice Recanati, a guard from Bergamo, Italy, led the Colonels with 15 points and tied her career-high nine assists in the win. Recanati shot 5-of-12 (.416) from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line. 
 
Recanati moved into sixth in program history in career assists at 371 with her nine assists on Thursday, passing EKU legend Peggy Gay. She needs three more assists to move into fifth, which would pass Lisa Goodin. 
 
With 145 assists on the season, Recanati moved into fourth in program history for assists in a single season.
 
Antwainette Walker (14), Emma Hacker (13), and Marissa Mackins (12) followed suit scoring in double-figures. The upperclassmen combined for 12 of EKU's 26 made field goals.
 
Graduate student Danielle Rainey led EKU with eight rebounds.
 
EKU jumped out to an eight-point run to open Thursday's game off of made 3-pointers by Rainey and Recanati. Another three by Recanati helped push the Colonels out to a 12-5 advantage with under-5 remaining in the first quarter. With seconds remaining on the clock, Walker caught an out of bounds under pass to sink her first basket of the night to beat the buzzer and give EKU a 21-9 lead.
 
North Alabama surpassed double-digit points with 8:49 to go in the second frame off an Emma Kate Tittle jumper. EKU would respond with made baskets from Ariel Kirkwood and Rainey for a 14-point lead. After a Recanati jumper with 6:51 on the clock, EKU would go without a basket for the remainder of the quarter. However, the Colonels would shoot 13 free throws to close out the first half and keep a 37-23 advantage.
 
UNA scored the first two baskets after the pause to narrow the gap to 12 points. Back-to-back three-pointers from Hacker and Mackins pushed the gap back to 16. Kalissa Lacy went on a six-point personal swing to keep the Lions away. A Walker jumper ended the frame with a 11-point lead at 56-45.
 
Walker opened the final frame with consecutive baskets. North Alabama would narrow the lead to nine points in the fourth quarter, however, EKU held on to win Thursday's contest 76-63 for its 11th home win of the season.
 
EKU ended the contest with 44/23/70 splits to UNA's 40/25/47. The Lions 47 percent from the charity stripe is the lowest opponent percentage on the season. EKU shot 27 free throws to UNA's 17.
 
The Colonels dished out 17 assists in the win to UNA's 11 and out-rebounded the Lions 41-35.
 
EKU returns to action on Saturday to face Central Arkansas marking the final regular season home game of the season.
 
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