Game #8 - Eastern Kentucky

Game #8 - Eastern Kentucky Colonels
Date: December 1, 2012
Series: 4th meeting - EKU is 2-1, Cats won in 2011, 81-74
Location: Alumni Coliseum (6,500) Richmond, Ky.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: Catamount Sports Network 
TV: none
Live Video: OVC Digital Network


The 2012-13 season is Jeff Neubauer’s eighth year as head coach at Eastern Kentucky University. The Colonels finished last season 16-16 overall and were picked to finish fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference East Division this season by the league’s head coaches. The OVC, like the Big South,  is debuting its divisional format this season.

Entering the game with Western Carolina, the Colonels are 6-0 and off to their best start since 2005. EKU currently is  one of only seven remaining unbeaten mid-major teams.

The Colonels, like the Catamounts, are a very good team on their home court.  They have won 14 straight home non-conference games and are 37-7 under head coach Jeff Neubauer in such contests.

So far this season, EKU won the Comfort Suits Invitational, which they hosted, beating Radford, Towson, Kennesaw State, and Cincinnati Christian.  In other out-of-conference play, the Colonels defeated Norfolk State and Delaware State, all home games.   Eastern Kentucky is led by junior college transfer and All-American junior guard Glen Cosey (6-0 / 182) with 18 ppg and senior guard Mike DiNunno (5-11 / 196) with 13 ppg.

Overall, Eastern Kentucky is averaging 80 points per game, and has a .496 field goal percent average, along with an average of nine 3-pt field goals per game.  The Colonels are a good free throw shooting team, at .752 percent average and also averages 11 turnovers per game.

This game will be a challenge for the Catamounts, on the road, facing an undefeated team, large crowd expected.  However, if the Catamounts play with the enthusiasm and determination they displayed in the second half of the Furman game, they will depart Richmond with a win.