Eastern Kentucky (6-12, 3-2) vs. Tennessee State (12-6, 4-1)
Gentry Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Saturday, 5 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Two guards will be on display as Jomaru Brown and Eastern Kentucky will face Carlos Marshall Jr. and Tennessee State. The sophomore Brown has scored 23 percent of the team's points this season and is averaging 19.4 over his last five games. Marshall, a freshman, is averaging 17.2 points over the last five games.
TEAM LEADERS: Brown is averaging 17.5 points to lead the charge for the Colonels. Ty Taylor is also a big contributor, putting up 12.1 points per game. The Tigers have been led by Marshall, who is averaging 12.1 points and 4.2 rebounds.
TAKING IT UP A NOTCH: The Colonels have scored 71.2 points per game and allowed 74.4 points per game in conference play thus far. Those are both solid improvements over the 66 points scored and 81.3 points given up per game to non-conference opponents.JUMPING FOR JOMARU: Brown has connected on 29.8 percent of the 84 3-pointers he's attempted and has gone 7 for 13 over his last three games. He's also converted 69.1 percent of his free throws this season.
WINLESS WHEN: Eastern Kentucky is 0-11 when scoring fewer than 72 points and 6-1 when scoring at least 72.
TWO STREAKS: Eastern Kentucky has dropped its last seven road games, scoring 63.1 points and allowing 86.3 points during those contests. Tennessee State has won its last eight home games, scoring an average of 84.6 points while giving up 69.4.
DID YOU KNOW: The Eastern Kentucky defense has forced opponents into turnovers on an impressive 25.3 percent of all possessions, which ranks the Colonels 13th among Division I teams. Tennessee State has turned the ball over on 24.2 percent of its possessions (ranking the Tigers 348th, nationally).
