Feb. 17, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LADY COLONELS TRY TO SNAP STREAK AGAINST TENNESSEE TECH

RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University Lady Colonels basketball team jumps back into Ohio Valley Conference play Thursday night in McBrayer Arena when coach Larry Joe Inman's team hosts the always-dangerous Tennessee Tech University Golden Eaglettes in a 6:45 p.m. EST game.

TTU is in a three-way tie for first place for the conference lead with UT Martin and Middle Tennessee with records of 12-4 in OVC competition. Southeast Missouri is just behind at 12-5 in fourth, and the Colonels and Murray State are tied for fifth at 8-8.

Eastern will be coming in off a disappointing 87-47 loss to Kentucky Tuesday night before a regional FOX SportSouth television audience and an estimated crowd of 1,750 fans at McBrayer Arena that extended the Lady Colonels' losing streak to five games. Turnovers and poor field goal shooting proved too much for EKU to overcome.

"Kentucky is definitely the best defensive team we've faced all year," said Inman. "The turnover factor and our poor shooting just shut our offense down. I was pleased that we came on in the second half and were able to handle the pressure better and make some shots.

"We need to play 40 minutes of team basketball to be successful in these next two games. Tech and Middle are going to be playing hard, going for the conference title. We have to shoot the ball better and defend and rebound like we had been before this losing streak began. We're going to have to be at the top of our game to stay with them."

Against UK, EKU hit but 32.7 percent from the field and made 35 turnovers. Sophomore forward Charlotte Sizemore paced Eastern with 16 points, while senior forward Jennifer King added five points and a game-high 10 rebounds against the Wildcats.

Sizemore continues to lead the Lady Colonels in scoring with her 17.2 per game average. Eastern closes regular season play Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at home against the Middle Tennessee Lady Raiders.

Eastern, 11-13 overall, will not know where it will play Tuesday night in the opening round of the OVC Tournament until after completion of Saturday's league games. The Lady Colonels do know, however, that this first game will be on the road at either Tennessee Tech, Middle Tennessee, UT Martin or Southeast Missouri.

A win on the road in the first round of the OVC Tournament would send the Lady Colonels to Nashville, TN, for the OVC Final Four Tournament, Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 27-28) in the Nashville Arena. Eastern Kentucky has won or shared three of the past four OVC regular season crowns.

KP/kp