RICHMOND, Ky. – After playing two games away from home, the Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team will return to Baptist Health Arena to host Mercer on Saturday.
The contest will begin at 3 p.m. ET and air live on ESPN+. The live audio broadcast of the game is available worldwide on EKUSports.com and the EKUSports app. Click the "Listen Live" button at the top of the EKUSports.com home page to access the audio broadcast.
EKU Athletics will be holding a canned food drive at the game. Fans are encouraged to donate a canned food item for the Colonel Cupboard. Those who donate can receive a discounted ticket.
THE COLONELS
- EKU fell to 1-3 after suffering a 93-78 loss at Kent State on Tuesday. The Golden Flashes are ranked No. 16 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
- In the last three games,
Montavious Myrick is averaging 13 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 54% from the field.
- EKU grabbed 14 offensive rebounds at Kent State and turned those into 17 second-chance points.
- Newcomer Juan Cranford Jr. hit four 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 14 points against KSU. He was 4-of-8 from behind the arc.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
- Mercer is 2-2 this season with wins over LaGrange and Lipscomb, and losses to Tennessee and Winthrop.
- The Bears have averaged 81 points and have allowed 80 points per game. Mercer has shot just 29% from 3-point range and has been out-rebounded by 7.3 per game.
- Mercer has forced 16.3 turnovers per game while committing only 10.8 (+5.5). The Bears average 10.8 steals per game and their opponents have averaged only 6.5 steals.
- Baraka Okojie leads the team in scoring (15.3 ppg) and assists (5.0 apg). Armani Mighty is second on the team in scoring (14 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). Okojie is a 6-foot-3 junior guard who played previously at George Mason and Memphis before joining the Bears this season. Mighty is a 6-foot-10 redshirt junior center who started his career at Boston College before redshirting last season at Central Michigan.
INSIDE THE SERIES
- This is the first-ever meeting between the EKU and Mercer basketball programs.
- The two teams share two common opponents this season. Mercer beat Atlantic Sun Conference member Lipscomb, 92-77. EKU will face Southern Conference member Wofford later this month.
