DELAND, Fla. – Coming off a rivalry home win, the Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball hits the road to take on Stetson and FGCU this week in Atlantic Sun Conference play.
Thursday's game against Stetson is set to tipoff at 7 p.m. ET and Saturday's game against perennial league favorite, FGCU, will begin at 2 p.m. Both games can be streamed live on ESPN+ or heard on 92.5 WEKY with Wes Chandler courtside on the call.
EKU (13-6, 3-3 ASUN) defeated Bellarmine 91-75 last time out to move to even in conference play. Five Colonels scored in double figures, led by fifth year guard
Alice Recanati who dropped a season-high 23 points on a 7-of-12 showing from the field.
On the year, Recanati is tied for the team lead with 12.8 points per game and is first in the ASUN Conference in assists and assists per game. The Bergamo, Italy native is the school record holder in assists, games played, games started, and minutes.
Against Bellarmine, senior guard
Kaitlyn Costner dropped the first double double of her career dishing out a career-high 10 assists with 10 points to go behind it. She is tied with Recanati with 12.8 PPG this season.
Thursday's game in DeLand marks the first meeting between EKU and Stetson this season, both teams represented the ASUN Conference in the 2024 Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) last season. EKU and Stetson were one of three ASUN Conference programs, including Central Arkansas, to make the postseason invitational.
Scouting Stetson
Stetson (9-9, 3-3 ASUN) sits at even on the season and enters play on Thursday searching for a win after dropping three of its last four conference games to Jacksonville, North Alabama, and Central Arkansas. Despite the losing stretch, the Hatters are 7-1 inside the Edmunds Center this season including a 12-point upset over Florida Atlantic on Nov. 19.
Junior guard Cameron Thomas leads Stetson and is second in the ASUN with 16.6 points per game. The Illinois product has ended in double figures in seven of her last eight games, four of those scoring over 20 points.
History vs. Stetson
Thursday's battle in DeLand marks the fifth all-time meeting between EKU and Stetson dating back to 1986. The Hatters lead the head-to-head series 5-2, however, are split with the Colonels, 2-2, in the four meetings as conference members. Four of the seven meetings between the two schools have been decided by less than five points.
Scouting FGCU
FGCU (15-3, 6-0 ASUN) enters the week atop the ASUN Conference standings and will host Bellarmine on Thursday before the Colonels come to town. The Eagles are on an eight-game win streak since Dec. 19 and are undefeated in league play, however, FGCU hasn't played an ASUN team in the top half of the conference standings thus far.
The defending 7-time ASUN Tournament Champions are led by preseason player of the year Emani Jefferson who is up to 14.0 PPG with double digit scoring performances in her last nine games. The Eagles have won 30 consecutive home conference games since the 2022-23 season.
History vs. FGCU
Saturday's game in Fort Myers marks the fifth meeting between EKU and FGCU, the Eagles lead the head-to-head series 3-1 and are 3-0 over the Colonels as conference members. EKU is seeking its first win over FGCU since 2007.
