“Women’s Basketball Kicks Off ASUN Season with Showdown Against Austin Peay and Lipscomb!”

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball squad commences Atlantic Sun Conference competition on the road against Austin Peay on Thursday and Lipscomb on Saturday. The away journey signifies year four for EKU as a participating institution in the league.
 
Thursday’s clash with long-time adversary APSU will tip off at 7 p.m. ET, while Saturday’s contest at Lipscomb is set to start at 3 p.m. Both matches can be streamed in real-time on ESPN+ or listened to via 92.5 WEKY.
 
EKU (10-3) enters the ASUN Conference period having claimed victory in its last nine games since November 14, averaging an impressive 83.7 points per game during this sequence. The Colonels’ winning run is the lengthiest since the 2004-05 season.
 
In the team’s prolific offensive display, senior guard Kaitlyn Costner (13.6 ppg) and Alice Recanati (12.4 ppg) spearhead the effort with personal best achievements, having driven EKU in scoring in 8 of 13 games this season. Recanati recorded a season-high 22 points in her last appearance during a comeback victory against Samford to conclude the non-conference segment.
 
Freshman guard Liz Freihofer is also experiencing a productive stretch, averaging 10.6 points per game and entering this week’s conference opener as the reigning ASUN Freshman of the Week. She has received this conference weekly accolade six times this year and has posted double figures in five of her last six contests.
 
In the paint, EKU has seen considerable contributions from its forwards, senior Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor and sophomore Kailani Lindsey. In the Colonels’ latest three victories, the pair has combined for 60 points and 48 rebounds, contributing two double-doubles to their credit.
 
Scouting Austin Peay
The Govs enter with an overall record of 5-6 as they prepare for Thursday’s contest and have secured wins in their last two games versus High Point and UT Southern. Despite the two-game winning stretch, APSU allows opponents to score an average of 67.5 points per game this season, having conceded over 70 points in three of the past four contests. Freshman forward Sa’Mya Wyatt is the scoring leader for the Govs with 12.5 PPG and has reached double figures in each of her last nine games.
 
History vs. Austin Peay
Thursday’s conference debut marks the 91st confrontation between EKU and APSU, dating back to 1974. The Colonels currently hold a 49-41 advantage in the all-time series, yet have fallen in their last ten meetings with Austin Peay since 2017, seeking their first victory over the Govs as members of the ASUN Conference.
 
Scouting Lipscomb
Lipscomb (7-4) will face North Florida on Thursday before the Colonels visit over the weekend. The Bisons have suffered losses in three of their last four non-conference matches against Chattanooga, Evansville, and Missouri; however, they stand at 6-1 in Allen Arena this season. Preseason All-ASUN selection Bella Vinson leads Lipscomb with 12.4 PPG and ranks second on the team with 49 rebounds.
 
History vs. Lipscomb
Saturday’s encounter in Nashville signifies the 10th encounter between the Colonels and Bisons since 2000, and the seventh as conference rivals. EKU leads the historical series 6-3 and has leveled the record to 3-3 since joining the league in 2021, following a 99-68 victory over Lipscomb on the road last season in the ASUN Tournament semifinals.