The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team will resume Ohio Valley Conference play by hosting Eastern Illinois on Wednesday night at McBrayer Arena. Tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
The game will air live on ESPN+. The radio broadcast of the game can be heard locally at 100.7 FM and worldwide at EKUSports.com.
WHAT TO KNOW
EKU (7-2, 1-1 OVC) wrapped up non-conference play with a convincing 86-67 win over High Point on December 22 at McBrayer.
Junior Brandon Knapper – a transfer from WVU – led all players with 21 points in the Colonels’ win over High Point. Knapper is averaging 23 points-per-game in the two games he has played this season.
Junior Cooper Robb recorded eight steals in the win over High Point. That is tied for the most steals by a Colonel in a game since at least 2003. It is also the second-most steals by any player in the country so far this season.
Freshman Wendell Green Jr. had 13 points, a career-high eight assists, three steals and three rebounds in the win over High Point. Green leads the OVC in assists-per-game (5.2).
EKU currently has six players averaging double figures in points: Knapper (23.0), Tre King (15.9), Jomaru Brown (11.8), Green Jr. (10.2), Michael Moreno (10.2), and Curt Lewis (10.0).
EKU now leads the NCAA in total steals (124).
The Colonels rank third in the country in steals/game (13.8), second in turnovers forced/game (22.9) and fourth in turnover margin (+9.6).
EKU posted its best non-conference winning percentage since the 1948-49 season (6-1 / .857).
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Eastern Illinois (3-4, 0-0 OVC) has not yet played an OVC game. The Panthers’ last game was on December 12, a 92-88 home win over Western Illinois.
Josiah Wallace leads EIU in scoring at 17.7 points-per-game.
This is the 43rd meeting between EKU and Eastern Illinois. The Colonels lead the all-time series, 24-18, and won both matchups with the Panthers last season.
UP NEXT
Following Wednesday night’s game, the Colonels will travel to Clarksville, Tennessee on Saturday, January 2 to face off against Austin Peay. Tip is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.
— www.EKUSports.com ––
Steve Fohl
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications
