RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky will return to Baptist Health Arena Friday to host Kentucky State.
 
The contest, presented by the Kentucky Lottery, 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.
 
It will be Military Appreciation Night at the game.  We will honor those who are veterans, active-duty, first responders, health care workers and their families.  Military members can receive one free ticket and additional discounted tickets.  Click here to access the ticket special.
 
THE COLONELS
-  Eastern Kentucky dropped to 2-1 after an 85-71 loss to Georgia Tech on Tuesday.  The Colonels led by 10 in the first half, were up one at the break and were within six with less than eight minutes to play.
 
-  EKU has held its first three opponents to 21.9% shooting from 3-point range (16-for-73).  The Colonels rank eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage defense.
 
-  Justin McCarter and Damone King each scored 20 points at Georgia Tech.  McCarter went 3-for-4 from 3-point range.  King was 9-for-18 from the field.
 
-  Eastern's bench out-scored the Georgia Tech bench 37-20.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  The game against EKU will be an exhibition contest for Kentucky State, which will officially start its season on Saturday against Shawnee State.  
 
- The Thorobreds were 6-22 last season and 6-18 in conference play.
 
-  Montrell Jacobs led the team last season with 15.4 points per game.  Jalon Andrews averaged a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game.  Neither of those players return for the 2026-27 season.
 
-  Last year KSU averaged 80 points per game and allowed 79.6.  The Thorobreds shot 44% from the field and 35% from 3-point range.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  EKU leads the all-time series 3-1.  The teams first met in the 1982-83 season with Kentucky State winning 68-63 in Richmond.  The programs met again in the 1983-84 and the 1984-85 seasons.  The next matchup, and most recent, didn't come until 2017.
 
-  Eastern Kentucky got off to a slow start, falling behind by 14 in the first half, but found its stroke and rolled to a 97-66 victory over Kentucky State on Nov. 16, 2017.  After starting the game 6-for-24, the Colonels went 27-for-43 (63%) the rest of the way.  EKU out-rebounded Kentucky State 45-38 and out-scored the visitors 22-5 off turnovers.  DeAndre Dishman and Dedric Boyd led Eastern with 18 points each.  Ray Croon had a game-high 21 points for Kentucky State.