ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Pack your coat, Colonel Nation, because the Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team is set to travel to Alaska to play in the 2023 ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout from November 18-19 at Alaska Airlines Center.
 
The Great Alaska Shootout, in partnership with ASRC and ConocoPhillips, invited the Colonels to participate in the tournament for the second time in program history. EKU is set to join the field alongside the University of Utah, University of Alabama Birmingham, and host school University of Alaska Anchorage.
 
"We are beyond excited to compete in the Great Alaska Shootout in November," said EKU head coach Greg Todd. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for our student-athletes and staff, we are proud to represent our university, the City of Richmond, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky in such a prestigious event. We look forward to making this trip an experience for our team, we'll spend about a week in Anchorage taking in the scenery and playing against some of the top talent in the country who are loaded with tradition."
 
EKU is set to begin its trip against UAB on November 18 at 5:15 p.m. local time, 9:15 p.m. ET. EKU and UAB will meet for the first time since 1994.
 
The Colonels will either face Utah or Alaska Anchorage in the consolation or championship game the following day to conclude their time in America's Last Frontier.
 
Utah, who finished last season with a loss to eventual NCAA National Champions LSU in the NCAA Round of 16, are projected to enter the season as the No. 5 team in the country according to the ESPN Way-Too-Early Top 25 poll.
 
Alaska Anchorage, 19-time NCAA Tournament participants, are coming off an 18-10 season that ended in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship. 
 
Fans looking to cheer on the Colonels can secure tickets in the coming days on Alaska Anchorage's website. All four games on the doc are scheduled to be aired on YouTube.
 
Coach Todd continues to enhance the student-athlete experience for his team's during his time in Richmond. EKU's 3,962-mile trek to Anchorage is the furthest non-conference matchup for Todd and the Colonels. November's trip to Alaska marks consecutive seasons EKU travels over 3,000 miles for a regular season contest, as the team went 1-1 in the MAAC/ASUN Challenge last season against Marist and Rider in Dublin, Ireland.
 
EKU is making its first appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout since 2002, where the Colonels went 0-2 against Indiana and UAA on their home floor.
 
The Great Alaska Shootout, one of the hottest tickets in the region in November, has an average attendance of over 2,000 fans over its 43-year history. UAA claimed its 11th Great Alaska Shootout title last season downing La Salle, 88-75, in front of 2,302 supporters.
 
Fans are encouraged to be on the lookout for additional details regarding the Great Alaska Shootout that will be provided at a later date.
 
As of Friday, August 25, EKU has announced three dates on its 2023-24 non-conference schedule, including a matchup against Tennessee on Dec. 10 in Knoxville, Tenn.
 
Two opponents on EKU's non-conference schedule, Utah and Tennessee, are set to enter the upcoming season as Top 25 teams in the nation.