CARROLLTON, Ga.- In the middle of a demanding four-game road swing, the University of West Georgia men's basketball team heads into a pivotal matchup Wednesday night, traveling to Richmond, Kentucky to face Eastern Kentucky. The Wolves (12-14, 6-8 ASUN) tipoff against the Colonels (9-18, 5-9 ASUN) at 7 p.m. inside Baptist Health Arena, with both teams fighting for position as the conference race intensifies. EKU enters on a two game skid following an overtime loss to North Alabama, while UWG looks to bounce back after running into a Central Arkansas team riding a 10-game winning streak. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+.

West Georgia had won back-to-back games over Jacksonville and North Alabama before the setback against Central Arkansas, and the Wolves continued to lean on one of the conference's best in Shelton Williams-Dryden. The senior poured in 21 points with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the last outing, marking his third straight 20-point performance and his 15th 20-point game of the season. Williams-Dryden, UWG's 15th 1,000-point scorer, now sits at 1,081 career points and has established himself as one of the ASUN's elite scorers. He leads the conference in scoring at 20.6 points per game and is tied for first in rebounding at 9.5 per contest while shooting 48 percent from the field. Nationally, his 12 double-doubles are tied for 17th, his rebounding average is tied for 23rd, and his scoring average is tied for 19th in the country.

Malcolm Noel added 16 points and seven assists, one shy of a career high, while shooting 50 percent from both the field and three-point range and converting 83 percent of his free throws. Noel leads the Wolves in assists and ranks 11th in the ASUN at 3.3 per game. He has knocked down at least three triples in back-to-back contests and has five such performances this season. 

Kenneth Chime delivered a perfect shooting night with 10 points on 5-of-5 from the field, adding three rebounds and a block. Chime currently sits third in the conference at 1.4 blocks per game. Off the bench, JaVar Daniel stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds, a block, and two steals. Daniel leads the ASUN in blocks at 2.0 per game and is tied for 27th nationally.

Eastern Kentucky is coming off an 84-78 overtime battle against North Alabama that featured four Colonels in double figures. Jalen Cooper recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds and ranks sixth in the ASUN in rebounding at 6.1 per game. MJ Williams added 15 points and four assists and leads EKU in assists at 3.6 per game, ninth in the conference. Montavious Myrick chipped in 14 points and four rebounds and leads the Colonels on the glass at seven boards per game, good for third in the ASUN. Juan Cranford Jr., EKU's leading scorer at 12.6 points per game, added 12 points in the contest and is a top 20 scorer in the conference. 

From a team standpoint, West Georgia averages 75.8 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the floor and 35 percent from deep. The Wolves are the fourth best rebounding team in the ASUN at 36.4 boards per game and rank second in offensive rebounds at 12.2. Defensively, UWG sets the tone with five blocks per game, best in the conference and tied for 19th nationally.

Eastern Kentucky averages 80 points per game on 43 percent shooting and 34 percent from beyond the arc. The Colonels are third in the ASUN in rebounding and lead the conference in offensive boards at 13 per game while ranking fourth in blocks at 3.11.

Although the two programs are in the early stages of their competition, West Georgia and Eastern Kentucky have quickly built a competitive series, with the all-time record even at 1-1. EKU protected its home floor with a 95-73 win in Richmond during UWG's inaugural Division I season, but the Wolves answered with an 88-76 victory in Carrollton on January 3 to even the score. Wednesday marks a pivotal conference matchup, with West Georgia looking to take the series lead and become the first team to win on the road in the matchup.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Richmond, Kentucky as the Wolves chase a statement road win and their second victory on the current road trip. ESPN+ and live stats links are available above.