Hilltoppers Host LA Tech to Open Conference USA Play

WKU Game Notes | LA Tech Game Notes | Conference USA Notes

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball begins Conference USA play at home against LA Tech at 7 p.m. CT Thursday at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The Hilltoppers wrapped nonconference play with a 72-55 win at Austin Peay, their first true road win of the year. WKU has won eight of its last 10 conference openers.

LA Tech started the season 5-0 but has gone 4-4 since. The Hilltoppers lead the all-time series against the Bulldogs 16-15, including two straight at home.

WKU coach Rick Stansbury is 3-1 in his career against LA Tech.

GAME 14

LA Tech (9-4) at WKU (8-5)
December 28, 2017 | 7 p.m. CT
Bowling Green, Ky. | E.A. Diddle Arena

BROADCAST

Listen: Hilltopper IMG Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship), WKUSports.tv (free), TuneIn Radio (free) (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)
Watch: beIN SPORTS (Mike Gleason, pxp | Jason Capel, analysis)
Live Stats: WKU Stats

QUICK SHOTS

• WKU is 16-5 (.762) at E.A. Diddle Arena under head coach Rick Stansbury. The Hilltoppers are 589-168 all-time at Diddle Arena for a .778 winning percentage.
• WKU has made at least one 3-pointer in 951 consecutive games, dating back to March 15, 1987. The 3-point shot was instituted prior to the 1986-87 season. The Hilltoppers' streak is the fifth-longest in the nation behind Kentucky, UNLV, Vanderbilt and Arkansas.
• The Hilltoppers' five losses have come by a total of 22 points – an average of 4.4 points per game.
• WKU ranks 28th in the country in field goal percentage and first in Conference USA at 49.9 percent. That percentage would rank seventh for a single season in program history.
• WKU ranks 37th in the nation and fourth in C-USA in turnover margin at +3.8, despite ranking 16th in the nation in personal fouls. Lamonte Bearden ranks 42nd in the country and third in C-USA in total steals with 26 through 13 games. No WKU player had more than 28 steals all last season.
• WKU has outscored its opponents 550-367 in the paint this season.
• In his last 10 games, Darius Thompson has 51 combined assists and just 13 turnovers. He has at least four assists in 11 of 13 games this season and has scored in double figures in all but one game.
• Darius Thompson ranks 24th in the country in minutes per game (36.6) and 27th in total minutes (476).
• Taveion Hollingsworth has scored at least 12 points in seven straight games and ranks third in Conference USA in field goal percentage at 52.9 percent.
• As of Tuesday, Justin Johnson was ranked 10th among active NCAA players for career rebounds and tied for 10th in career double-doubles. He's one of just five active NCAA players with at least 1,200 career points and 800 rebounds.
• Justin Johnson is ranked 24th on WKU's all-time scoring list with 1,277 career points. He needs 16 points to pass Wayne Chapman to move into 23rd.
• Justin Johnson currently ranks eighth on WKU's all-time list for career field goal percentage at 54.8 percent. He's just over one percentage point from fifth place.
• Justin Johnson needs 47 rebounds to tie Dwight Smith for 10th on WKU's all-time list with 856 career rebounds.
• Justin Johnson needs 191 rebounds to reach 1,000 for his career. That would make him just the fifth player in WKU history with 1,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds, joining Tom Marshall, Art Spoelstra, Ralph Crosthwaite and Jim McDaniels, the last to accomplish the feat in 1971.
• Lamonte Bearden is 149 points from reaching 1,000 for his career across his time at Buffalo and WKU.

TICKETS

WKU Ticket Office: Online at WKUTickets.com, in person at E.A. Diddle Arena, via phone at 1-800-5-BIG Red or 745-5222 locally.

LAST GAME AGAINST LA TECH: FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Jacobi Boykins returned from a one-game suspension to score 25 points, 19 in the first half, as LA Tech beat WKU 76-67 in Ruston, La. Justin Johnson led WKU with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

MED CENTER HEALTH

The 2017-18 WKU Basketball season is presented by Med Center Health. With The Medical Center at its core, Med Center Health has served Southcentral Kentucky for more than 90 years, and its system of care includes six acute care hospitals, a complete network of immediate to emergency services and services in dozens of specialties. Whether it is emergency treatment for heart attack victims or preventative programs to improve the health of the communities it serves, Med Center Health is committed to providing the highest level of care and service.

How to follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Basketball, follow the team's social media channels, @WKUBasketball on Twitter, @WKUBasketball on Instagram, and WKU Basketball on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

Lamonte Bearden

Taveion Hollingsworth

Justin Johnson

Darius Thompson