JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – After beginning its season with a 29-point victory, Eastern Kentucky University will play at East Tennessee on Friday at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tennessee.
The game will begin at 7 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 started its season with a 98-69 win over Alice Lloyd College on Monday. The Colonels have now won five straight season-openers.
- Newcomer
George Kimble III had 23 points, seven assists, two steals and two rebounds in his debut. Last year's Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year made 8-of-13 attempts from the field and 6-of-7 at the free throw line.
- EKU had 29 offensive rebounds against Alice Lloyd. That was the most by any team in the nation this season.
-
Mayar Wol and
Jordan Crawford, who both played at the College of Charleston last season, made their EKU debuts as well this week. Wol led the team with nine rebounds and scored eight points. Crawford hit 50 percent of his shots from the field on his way to scoring 12 points with four steals and three rebounds.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
- East Tennessee started its 2024-25 season with a 72-51 win over Newberry College. The Bucs were picked to finish third in the Southern Conference this season after going 19-16 overall and 8-10 in league games last season. ETSU advanced to the SoCon Tournament championship game.
- Quimari Peterson, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, scored a game-best 19 points against Newberry. The preseason All-Southern Conference selection also had six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
- Jaden Seymour, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the season-opener. Seymour was also a preseason All-SoCon pick.
- ETSU shot 42 percent from the field and 55 percent (6-for-11) from the free throw line against Newberry.
INSIDE THE MATCH-UP
- Both teams shot 22 percent from 3-point range in their first games of the season. The Colonels finished 9-for-41 from deep. The Bucs made 6-of-27 from behind the arc.
- EKU and ETSU both had double-digit steals in their first games of the season. The Colonels used 17 steals to force 29 turnovers. The Bucs had 12 steals and forced 18 turnovers.
INSIDE THE SERIES
- EKU leads the all-time series between the two teams 28-23. The two programs first met during the 1923-24 season in Richmond. From 1959 through 1978, the Colonels and Bucs were both members of the Ohio Valley Conference. EKU and East Tennessee have only played four times since 1994 with the Bucs winning each of the last three.
- In the most recent meeting, ETSU earned an 87-81 win in Johnson City on Dec. 18, 2015. Jarelle Reischel had a game-best 29 points for the Colonels. Ge'Lawn Guyn led the Bucs with 27 points.
