RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University's men's basketball team will play its first game in the fully renovated Baptist Health Arena on Monday against long-time rival Western Kentucky.
 
Fans are encouraged to wear white to the game for a "White Out".  FREE t-shirts will be given away before the game.
 
The contest will begin at 7 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.
 
Season tickets or single game tickets can be purchased online at EKUSports.com, or contact the EKU Ticket Office at 859-622-2122 or via email at tickets@eku.edu.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU opened the 2025-26 season with a 122-60 victory over Midway on Thursday.  It was the sixth straight year the Colonels have won their first game of the season.
 
-  In his first official game as a Colonel, Jalen Cooper finished with 21 points, five rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block against Midway.
 
-  Also in his first game as a Colonel, Austin Ball finished with a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.  He set new career-highs for field goals (5), field goal attempts (9), 3-pointers (3), 3-pointers attempted (6), rebounds, steals (4) and points.
 
-  In an exhibition game against Morehead State and the season-opener against Midway, the Colonels scored 100-plus points in both.  EKU averaged 114.5 points in those two games.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  Western Kentucky began the season with an 82-70 victory at home over Tennessee Tech.  The Hilltoppers also beat Kentucky Wesleyan (82-43) and Alabama-Birmingham (78-76) in a pair of exhibition games.  
 
- WKU got to the free throw line 35 times against Tennessee Tech, connecting on 28 of those attempts.  The Golden Eagles were 6-for-12 at the charity stripe.  The Hilltoppers were 2-for-11 from 3-point range while TTU hit on 10-of-31.
 
-  Grant Newell and Teagan Moore each scored 16 points in the opener.  Moore also grabbed nine rebounds.  Newell is a 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward who played last season at North Texas.  Moore is a 6-foot-5 guard in his third season at WKU.  The Dry Ridge, Kentucky native missed last season with an injury.
 
-  Bryant Selebangue posted a double-double against TTU, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  The 6-8, 225-pound forward previously played at Tulsa, Arizona State and McNeese State.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  WKU leads the all-time series 118-44.  The Colonels are 30-45 in games played in Richmond.  The first meeting between the two programs was in 1914-15.
 
-  EKU led by seven at halftime, but couldn't hold off a second half comeback from Western Kentucky in a 79-69 loss on Dec. 3, 2023 at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green.  Leland Walker finished with 25 points for the Colonels.  The Hilltoppers finished 11-for-25 (41%) from 3-point range.  EKU shot better from the field, 42% compared to 41 percent, but the Colonels made just 6-of-24 from behind the arc (25%).  Brandon Newman led WKU with 19 points and nine rebounds.