RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team will play its first game inside the newly renovated Baptist Health Arena on Wednesday night, hosting Evansville.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for just $5 online or at the door.
Fans unable to attend can watch live on ESPN+ with Wes Chandler and Kent Miller on the call. The game will also be streamed on the Colonel All-Access page.
EKU (1-1) enters the matchup following a 56-51 loss to SIU Edwardsville last Friday. Senior forward
Joseana Vaz led the Colonels with 12 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double. Sophomore guard
Liz Freihofer added 11 points, marking her 20th career game in double figures.
Through two games, the Colonels are averaging 73.0 points and 41.0 rebounds per game.
Defensively, EKU is allowing just 48.5 points per contest, the second-lowest mark in the Atlantic Sun Conference and top 50 in the NCAA.
EKU's defense has been particularly effective from the perimeter, holding opponents to 17.9 percent shooting from three-point range (30th NCAA) and 31.5 percent from the floor (62nd NCAA).
A notable storyline for Wednesday's game is the reunion of former Cooper High School teammates Freihofer (EKU) and Logan Luebbers Palmer (Evansville).
The duo helped Cooper reach two Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Girls' State Tournaments and capture a pair of 9th Region Championships under head coach Justin Holthaus.
Together, they combined for more than 2,600 points, 1,300 assists, 900 rebounds, and 300 steals during their prep careers. Freihofer graduated as Cooper's all-time assists leader, while Palmer ranked among the program's top five in both points and rebounds.
Scouting Evansville
Evansville (0-2) is seeking its first win of the 2025-26 season under fifth-year head coach Robyn Scherr. The Purple Aces opened the year with road losses at Southeast Missouri (71-66) and No. 21 Iowa (119-43).
Sophomore guard Camryn Runner leads the team, averaging 18.0 points per game. She posted 26 points and 11 rebounds against SEMO, followed by 10 points at Iowa.
Series History
Wednesday marks the seventh all-time meeting between EKU and Evansville since 1983. The series is tied 3-3, but the Colonels claimed the most recent matchup in 2023, earning a 77-75 road victory behind a career-high 38 points from former Colonel Antwainette Walker.
