CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The first place Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team will take its show on the road for the first time in 19 days when the Colonels play at Queens University of Charlotte on Thursday.
The game will begin at 8 p.m. ET and air live on ESPN+. The live radio broadcast of the game is available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, or worldwide on EKUSports.com.
THE COLONELS
- EKU (11-9, 7-0 ASUN) won its seventh straight game and tied the program record for best conference start with an 89-76 win over second place North Florida on Saturday. The 1952-53 and 1959-60 teams are the only others to win their first seven conference games.
- Sophomore guard
Leland Walker scored a career-best 29 points on Saturday against UNF. He also had five assists, four rebounds and two steals. For the season, Walker is second on the team in scoring (15.2 ppg) and first in assists (4.6 apg).
- In his last four games,
Collin Cooper has made 11-of-17 (65 percent) from the field, 10-of-15 (67 percent) from 3-point range and 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Over that time he is averaging 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.
- In ASUN Conference games this season,
Isaiah Cozart is averaging 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks per game while shooting 60 percent from the field.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
- Queens is 8-14 on the season and 2-5 in ASUN games. The Royals are 7-2 at home, including league wins over Florida Gulf Coast (78-75) and Central Arkansas (96-79).
- Queens is averaging 79.6 points per game this season, but at home the Royals average 91.2 points per contest. QU has shot 44 percent from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range.
- Junior guard Deyton Albury is averaging 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals against ASUN teams this season. In all games, he leads the team in scoring (17.8 ppg) and assists (4.1 apg) and is second on the team in rebounding (5.7 rpg).
- AJ McKee is contributing 16.6 points and a team-best 1.9 steals per game.
INSIDE THE MATCH-UP
- Queens allows 82.82 points per game, the most in the ASUN this season, EKU is 31st in the nation with an average of 81.6 points per contest. The Royals are also last in the league in defensive field goal percentage, allowing opponents to shot 47 percent from the field.
- Queens has allowed an average of 4.7 blocks per game while the Colonels lead the ASUN with 6.0 blocks per contest.
INSIDE THE SERIES
- EKU is 2-0 all-time against Queens, but both teams have scored 80 or more points in both games and the average margin of victory has been 4.5 points.
- In last year's meeting,
Dardan Kapiti scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to fuel EKU's 84-80 win at Queens on Feb. 9, 2023. The Colonels trailed by 11 midway through the first half and by five at the break. The Royals led 57-56 and again at 59-58. Baskets from Cozart and
Devontae Blanton gave the visitors a 62-59 lead. After Queens tied it at 62-62, Blanton's lay-up and Cozart's dunk gave the Colonels the lead for good. Blanton led EKU with 20 points. Cozart contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. McKee had 27 points for Queens.
