The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team is looking to cap off an impressive regular season home slate with a victory against the University of North Alabama on Saturday. After extending their home winning streak to 12 games on Thursday, the Colonels will have one final chance to put on a show in front of their fans.
Presented by Coca-Cola, the game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN+. If you’re in the Richmond area, you can also tune in to WCYO 100.7 FM to catch the live radio broadcast of the game. For those watching from around the world, the game can be streamed on EKUSports.com.
Before the game, Senior Day activities will be held to honor Michael Moreno, Cooper Robb, and Michael Wardy. The trio will undoubtedly look to leave a lasting impression on their final regular season home game.
The series between the Colonels and Lions is tied at 1-1 after each team won on its home floor in two meetings last season. In the previous match-up, EKU overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to beat North Alabama in overtime, with Moreno leading the way with 24 points and eight rebounds. But the Lions will be looking to turn the tables this time around, and the Colonels will need to be at their best to prevent that from happening.
The Colonels are coming into the game with an 18-10 overall record and an 11-4 mark in the ASUN conference. They beat Central Arkansas on Thursday, 74-58, to stay in third place in the ASUN standings, one game behind second place Liberty and one game in front of fourth place Stetson. They lead the conference and are 10th in the country with 13.32 offensive rebounds per game, while also leading the ASUN and ranking 14th in the nation in rebounds with 39.32 per game.
Isaiah Cozart had a monster game against Central Arkansas with seven blocks, bringing his total to 66 on the season, which ranks eighth in the nation. He is also leading the ASUN in blocks per game with 2.36. Moreno posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, showing why he is one of the top players in the conference. He is eighth in the ASUN with 6.36 rebounds per game.
The Lions, meanwhile, are one of the hottest teams in the ASUN, having won four straight and eight of their last nine games. They have a balanced scoring attack, with three players averaging double-digit points, led by Daniel Ortiz, who averages 13.9 points per game. They also rank 50th in the nation in field goal percentage (47.0) and 29th in 3-point field goal percentage (37.4).
With both teams coming in with momentum, it should make for an exciting game on Saturday. The Colonels will be looking to end their regular season home schedule on a high note, while the Lions will be trying to extend their winning streak and build momentum heading into the conference tournament. Whatever happens, it promises to be a great game of college basketball.
