RICHMOND, Ky. – The EKU women's basketball team used 30 combined points from Antwainette Walker and Ariel Kirkwood and 30 forced turnovers on defense to defeat Central Arkansas, 78-51, on Senior Day in Baptist Health Arena on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, EKU secures a spot in the ASUN Women's Basketball Tournament for its second consecutive year from March 4-10.

Walker tallied 15 points and added a team-high five rebounds to lead the Colonels (16-12, 9-6 ASUN) to their third consecutive win. Kirkwood netted a season-high 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Alice Recanati joined Walker and Kirkwood in double figures as she chipped in 14 points of her own, including four made three-pointers. Marissa Mackins also finished with 10 points as EKU shot 45.6 percent (31-of-68) from the field and 45.5 percent (10-of-22) from beyond the arc.

The Colonels (8-17, 3-11 ASUN) trailed 6-2 in the early going, but hit their next five shots to embark on a 13-3 run and build a 10-point lead at the end of the first quarter. EKU posted 24 points in the quarter, its highest-scoring first period since a 31-point outburst against Alice Lloyd on Dec. 29, 2022. The Colonels connected on 10 of their 17 field-goal attempts in the opening frame.

Central Arkansas whittled EKU's lead down to three with seven unanswered points to start the second quarter, but the Sugar Bears never pulled closer. The Colonels responded with 14 of the game's next 18 points as Recanati knocked down a pair of threes to help give EKU an 11-point advantage. A Mackins three-pointer closed the half with the Colonels leading 43-27.

UCA mounted it last comeback attempt to open the third quarter, cutting EKU's advantage to 44-34 with 8:06 left in the period. Danielle Rainey responded with an old-fashioned three-point play and EKU's defense allowed just one made field goal the rest of the stanza as the Colonels pulled ahead 56-41 entering the fourth quarter.

EKU continued to pull away in the final 10 minutes as a Mackins three put Colonels up 67-45 with 4:36 remaining.

The Colonels' nine conference wins are the most for the program since the 2015-16 campaign. EKU also has 22 home wins in the last two seasons, which ties the mark for the most home wins ever for the Colonels in consecutive campaigns.

EKU starts a three-game road swing to end the regular season on Thursday when the Colonels visit Queens for a 7:00 p.m. matchup.