Fans will have several opportunities to watch the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team in 2015-16, as the Colonels are slated to play in at least six nationally-televised games.
EKU’s first appearance on national TV is Tuesday, December 1, when the Colonels travel south to Bowling Green to face storied rival Western Kentucky on Fox College Sports at 8:00 p.m. It will be the 156th all-time meeting between EKU and WKU, although the teams have not played each other since December 8, 2007.
Eight days later, on Wednesday, December 9, EKU will make its debut on the Worldwide Leader, traveling up I-75 to take on Kentucky at Rupp Arena on ESPN2. That game is scheduled to tip at 7:00 p.m. EKU and UK have played 10 times since the 1990-91 season. The Colonels fell at Rupp Arena last year, 82-49, but scored more points against the No. 1 Wildcats than Kansas, Providence, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Missouri and UCLA.
Eastern’s final non-conference game, national TV comes on Monday, December 21, when the Colonels face West Virginia in Morgantown on ESPNU at 7:00 p.m. It will be only the third meeting ever between the Colonels and Mountaineers. In 2012, EKU overcame a 16-point second-half deficit to take a two-point lead with five minutes to play in Morgantown, but could not hold off WVU in a 74-67 loss.
Three of EKU’s OVC matchups will be televised nationally, highlighted by the Colonels’ home ESPNU game against defending OVC Tournament champion Belmont on Thursday, February 18. That game will tip from McBrayer Arena at 9:00 p.m. EKU rolled to an 81-69 victory over Belmont in front of a raucous home crowd last year on ESPNU.
Eastern will also play on CBS Sports Network at Eastern Illinois on Thursday, January 14 (tip time at 9:00 p.m.) and at in-state rival Morehead State on Thursday, February 11 (tip time at 7:00 p.m.).
EKU could also see additional national TV coverage, as the OVC Tournament semifinals will air on ESPNU and the finals will air on ESPN2.
Every EKU home game (except the Belmont game on ESPNU) can be viewed live and for free on the OVC Digital Network.
The Colonels open the 2015-16 campaign with Coppin State at home on Friday, November 13.
@EKUHoops Nationally-Televised Games
Dec. 1 Western Kentucky 8:00 p.m. Fox College Sports
Dec. 9 Kentucky 7:00 p.m. ESPN2
Dec. 21 West Virginia 7:00 p.m. ESPNU
Jan. 14 Eastern Illinois 9:00 p.m. CBS Sports Network
Feb. 11 Morehead State 7:00 p.m. CBS Sports Network
Feb. 18 Belmont 9:00 p.m. ESPNU