RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team will host Eastern Illinois University in McBrayer Arena Saturday. Tip off is slated for 6:00 PM.

This will be the second meeting between the two schools this season, as EKU earned a 72-62 win at Eastern Illinois earlier this month. The Panthers center, Leah Aldrich, is currently the leading scorer in the Ohio Valley Conference, posting nearly 22 points per game. In their last meeting, the Lady Colonels held Aldrich to only nine points. But, the EKU coaching staff knows that Aldrich will come to McBrayer Arena ready to play.

"Aldrich is such a scoring force that they present such a difficult task to defend," said EKU head coach Larry Joe Inman. "With her, they have good outside shooters, as well as her inside. When I look at them, they came in here last year and beat us and they always play good in our gym. They are well coached and I think they will come in here focused. We will have to fight for our life again."

The Lady Colonels will enter the game after earning a 62-61 win over visiting Southeast Missouri last Monday. That win avenged a loss to SEMO in Cape Girardeau, MO, earlier this season. Leading the way for Eastern Kentucky, as she has done in 14 of EKU's 18 games, including eight straight, was sophomore Charlotte Sizemore. Sizemore contributed 19 points and recorded a double-double with 10 assists, while pulling in a career-best eight rebounds. Senior Jennifer King, the recipient of many of Sizemore's dishes, finished with a career-high 17-point, eight rebound night.

"The big thing is I thought our kids hung in there and fought really, really hard all night," said Inman. "I have to give credit to their defense. I thought they played really good defense on us. But, I was proud to get the win. For us right now, trying to finish in the top four of the OVC (in order to host an OVC Tournament game), it's really important to win and be successful down the stretch run."

The Lady Colonels are currently 10-8 overall and in fifth place in the league with a 7-4 conference mark. The next week will be a tough test for EKU as it travels to Murray State on Tuesday before heading to Tennessee State Thursday and Austin Peay Saturday. The tough scheduling will force Eastern to return to Richmond late Tuesday night following the Murray State win in order to attend Wednesday classes. The Lady Colonels will then leave for Tennessee State late Wednesday to get ready for their games with the Lady Tigers and Austin Peay.

"I think this is very poor planning and something that has to be addressed within our conference," said Inman. "It is a great concern academically. We have some kids who are going to miss three classes and when you miss three classes, as well as other classes with our other travel, then it puts these kids in a very difficult task of maintaining their academics."

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