VIDEO: Stansbury | Justice | Hollingsworth
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Practice doesn't stop when the whistle blows for WKU Hilltopper Basketball.
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Hang around for about an hour after practice each day, and you'll find the majority of the Hilltoppers still on the court getting up shots with their teammates.
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It's that mindset that excites head coach Rick Stansbury as the 2019-20 season approaches.
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"We've had it from day one," Stansbury said. "These young men are working hard. Their attitudes are great. When you have those two things, they'll keep getting better. I like these young men's mental approach to things."
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The Hilltoppers will need that blue-collar approach with a target on their chests.
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WKU was picked Thursday by the Conference USA coaches as the favorite to win the league with an overwhelming 13 first-place votes.
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The Tops said at Thursday night's Hilltopper Hysteria event that they're not concerned with preseason projections, but they are focused on the shift in attitudes toward extra work and fine-tuning details.
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"Everybody's been grinding and picking one another up," graduate senior guard Camron Justice said. "There's a lot of times where you look after practice and there's eight or nine of us in there shooting after practice every day."
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"We're getting a lot of hours after practice," junior guard Taveion Hollingsworth said. "Most of us are staying in the gym and shooting an hour after practice. We're making sure shots are dropping and that it's pure."
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Shooting and crisp ball movement were two areas that plagued the Hilltoppers in 2018-19, a season that still included a 3-1 record against the Power Five and a second straight C-USA Championship game appearance.
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But WKU is looking to change that. And it's not waiting for the change to just happen.
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"The name of the game is putting the ball in the basket, so it's key to have some guys who can knock down shots from long range," Justice said. "But I think you've seen now there's a variety of guys who can knock down the long ball. Guys have been in the gym all summer, so now we're just ready to get out there and make a name for ourselves."
The Hilltoppers play their first exhibition game against Kentucky State at 7:30 p.m. CT Nov. 2 before opening the regular season at home against Tennessee Tech at 7 p.m. Nov. 5.
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