RICHMOND, Ky. – After a three-game road swing to open Atlantic Sun Conference play, the Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team returns to Baptist Health Arena with a 12-5 overall record to face Central Arkansas (Jan. 18) and North Alabama (Jan. 20) this week.
 
Thursday's game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and Saturday's game, which is a doubleheader with the men's program, is slated to tip at 4 p.m.  As a reminder, EKU students receive free admission with their student ID.
 
Both women's basketball games this week feature promotional events for fans to partake in, Thursday's game is Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day, all EKU employees can claim up to two free tickets and can grab free popcorn located in various stations along the concourse.
 
Saturday's game is First Responders Night at the Coliseum, where any active duty or retired first responders/healthcare workers can receive two free tickets. Any additional tickets can be purchased at a 50 percent discount here.
 
Those not able to make any of the games this week can find both contests live on ESPN+ or over-the-air on 92.5 WEKY (Richmond area) with Wes Chandler courtside on the call.
 
EKU, who won its last game against Bellarmine by a score of 79-66 on the road, returns home with a 1-2 mark in conference play.  Antwainette Walker, the reigning ASUN Preseason Player of the Year and five-time ASUN Player of the Week, has recorded 20 or more points in consecutive conference games.
 
Senior guard Alice Recanati enters the week just eight points away from becoming the 25th player in program history to record over 1,000 career points.  
 
The Bergamo, Italy product, in her fourth season in Richmond, is averaging a career-high 10.6 points per game this year and is also just 19 assists from breaking the EKU program record in career assists (487) set by Angie Cox in 1992.
 
EKU, who sits 12-5 on the season, remains receiving votes (8) in the CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid Major Poll released on Jan. 16.  The Colonels are one vote ahead of Central Arkansas and two votes ahead of Lipscomb.
 
Game 18: EKU (12-5, 1-2 ASUN) vs. Central Arkansas (11-5, 3-0 ASUN)
- Thursday, January 18, 2024 – 7:00 p.m. EST
- Baptist Health Arena (6,500) – Richmond, Ky.
 
Game 19: EKU (12-5, 1-2 ASUN) vs. North Alabama (5-11, 1-2 ASUN)
- Saturday, January 20, 2024 – 4:00 p.m. EST
- Baptist Health Arena (6,500) – Richmond, Ky.
 
EKU Notes & Statistics
- Head coach Greg Todd is one win away from 700 career wins in the college and prep ranks.
- Walker leads the ASUN Conference in points per game (20.7) through 12 games played.  She's scored double figures in 11-of-12 games this season and 20 or more points in eight games.
- Forward Sierra McCullough leads the ASUN Conference in rebounds per game (8.4) and has recorded two or more blocks in her last four games.
- EKU's backcourt, Ivy Turner and Recanati, lead the ASUN Conference in assists (141) and combine for 8.3 assists per game.  The Colonels lead the conference with 16.0 per game.
- Wing Raphaela Toussaint remains 50 points away from totaling over 1,000 in her career.
- EKU is top 20 in the country in turnover margin (6.2) and turnovers forced per game (21.4).
 
All-Time vs. Central Arkansas
- EKU and UCA meet for the eighth time since 2009 on Thursday.  The Colonels own the head-to-head series 4-3 and 3-1 since joining the conference.
- Last meeting in Richmond on Feb. 18, 2023, four Colonels scored in double figures en-route to a 78-51 win with the Sugar Bears only having seven players available.
 
Scouting the Sugar Bears
- Central Arkansas is 3-0 to open league play for the first time as a member of the ASUN.  UCA has won its last five games over Austin Peay, Lipscomb, North Alabama, Alabama A&M, and Northwestern State.
- Four Sugar Bears average double-figure scoring, led by junior guard Kinley Fisher with 12.9 points per game off the bench.
 
All-Time vs. North Alabama
- EKU and UNA meet for just the fourth time on Saturday, all previous games coming in conference play starting in 2022.  North Alabama leads the series 2-1.
 
Scouting the Lions
- North Alabama will face Bellarmine on Thursday before coming to Richmond.  The Lions have lost four of their last five games.
- Senior guard Alexis Callins leads the program with 15.4 points per game and has scored double figures in 14-of-16 games this season.

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