RICHMOND, Ky. – After a pair of road games, EKU returns home to host Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday at Baptist Health Arena for Crowd the Coliseum Night.
 
The nationally televised game, presented by Elliot Services, will begin at 9 p.m. ET and air live on ESPNU.  There will be a halfcourt shot to win a car during the game.
 
Fans are asked to wear white.  The first 1,000 fans will receive a FREE t-shirt sponsored by the Kentucky Lottery.  Free Crumble Cookies will be available for EKU students while supplies last.  One lucky fan will win FREE Chick-Fil-A for a year.  The Jerry Goble State Farm promotion will give a lucky fan the chance to win $10,000.  
 
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 (12-10, 8-1 ASUN) rebounded from its first conference loss by beating Kennesaw State, 86-76, on Saturday.  The first-place Colonels moved back to a 2-game lead in the conference standings over North Florida and Stetson.
 
-  Devontae Blanton and Michael Moreno combined for 46 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in the win over Kennesaw State.  Blanton posted a double-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.  Moreno hit seven 3-pointers, finishing with 23 points, four rebounds and three assists.
 
-  Blanton ranks 15th in the ASUN in scoring (14.14 ppg), 12th in field goal percentage (41.3 percent), 12th in offensive rebounds (1.81), 15th in assists (2.76), 15th in minutes (30.38) and 17th in rebounding (5.38).
 
-  The Colonels matched their season-best with 13 three-pointers at Kennesaw State.  EKU also hit 13 at Central Arkansas.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  The Eagles are 10-14 overall and 4-5 in ASUN games.  FGCU has a non-conference win over then No. 7 ranked Florida Atlantic (78-75 OT).  Florida Gulf Coast had a 2-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with a 70-69 loss at North Alabama.   
 
- Isaiah Thompson, a 6-foot-1 senior guard who played three seasons and started 25 games at Purdue, leads the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game.  Five Eagles average 9.7 points or more per game, but no other averages more than 6.8 points.
 
-  Keeshawn Kellman, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, is the team's top rebounder at 6.6 boards per game.  He is shooting 69 percent from the field this season and averaging 11.8 points per game.
 
-  Thompson had a team-best 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range against UNA.  Zach Anderson finished with 16 points and five rebounds.  FGCU allowed North Alabama to shoot 51 percent from the field.
 
INSIDE THE MATCH-UP
-  After facing the top scoring team in the ASUN in Kennesaw State (84.48 ppg) on Saturday, the Colonels will face the second lowest scoring team in FGCU (70.42 ppg) on Wednesday.  EKU (81.50 ppg) is second in the league in scoring.
 
-  Florida Gulf Coast is third in the ASUN in scoring defense at 72.17 points per game.  However, the Eagles allow opponents to shoot 45 percent from the field, (sixth in ASUN) and 36 percent from 3-point range (10th in ASUN).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  The all-time series is tied 1-1 with each team having won on its home court.  The first meeting came in Fort Myers on Jan. 27, 2022 with FGCU winning 77-73.  The Colonels won 97-76 on Jan. 12, 2023 in Richmond.
 
-  In last year's game, EKU scored the first 13 points.  Moreno put-back his own miss and then nailed a 3-pointer from the right corner to cap the quick start.  FGCU missed its first seven shots from the field.  The Eagles first points came at the 15:42 mark on a pair of free throws.  Andre Weir's jumper 42 seconds later was their first field goal of the game.  Turner Buttry finished with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from deep.  Moreno had 14 points and six rebounds.  Thompson led FGCU with 15 points.  Weir had 12 points and 14 rebounds.