In women’s basketball, the first of two games against EKU starts on the road

LOUIVILLE, Kentucky — The Bellarmine College women’s basketball team will face Eastern Kentucky in the first of two consecutive ASUN games on Wednesday at 7:00 PM ET at Baptiste Health Arena.

In an unusual conference schedule quirkiness, Bellarmine (4-12, 0-3 ASUN) will host Eastern Kentucky (9-7, 2-1) at Freedom Hall on Saturday.

This week’s first meeting will be the 10th in history and the third in the Division I era. The Coronels finished last season’s matchup at Freedom Hall, where he went 61-47, and at Baptist Health Arena, where he swept 79-68, including his 2-0 in his D1 era, making him the best in the series. I have a 7-2 lead.

Eastern Kentucky got off to a solid start in ASUN play, being one of five teams to start the league with a 2-1 record, trailing only FGCU and Lipscomb, who have a 3-win record. The Coronels suffered their first conference loss, ending their five-game winning streak with a 71-57 loss to Central Arkansas on Saturday.

Eastern Kentucky is ASUN’s highest scoring team (78.9) and is led by the league’s top scorer, Antoine Walker. Antoinet Walker’s average points per game is his 21.4, the second highest scoring he is above 16.1. Walker has moved from Marquette to his EKU this season, where he has scored over 21 points in nine games. She is also ASUN’s main rebounder (9.9).

Marissa McInnes moved to Eastern Kentucky last season after being named to the first-team ASUN All-Conference in North Florida. Although she missed several non-conference games, McInnes posted her double-figure scoring in all of her eight games this year, averaging 15.8 points and scoring nearly her average per contest. Sinked four of her 3-pointers. Danielle Rainey (12.8 points per game) is also a big scoring threat, with her, McKins and Carissa Lacey making her 30 of her 3-pointers this season.

Bellarmine lost to Kennesaw State 64-56 at Freedom Hall on Saturday.More than just a freshman center Gracie Markle Senior forward with 14 points and 16 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season Shenicqua Courtney (10 points, 9 rebounds) and junior forward Lucy Robertson (season-high 7 points and 9 rebounds) was also in the ballpark for a double-double.

Markle’s 16 boards was a D1-era program record against NCAA D1 opponents. She had 23 rebounds early in the season against non-D1 Simmons her College of Kentucky, tying the overall program record. Four times she was ASUN Freshman of the Week, rebounding (9.7), blocking she shot (2.6), ranked second in the league in her goal percentage on the field (69.8), and ranked 10th in scoring (13.3).

hayley harrison Her 13 points against Kennesaw State is her most for ASUN this season. Her sophomore guard is her second on the team in scoring (10.2).

Bellarmine ranks second on ASUN in blocks (4.8) and third in rebounds (+4.2).

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