Hilltoppers Pause to Host Kentucky Wesleyan in Tuesday's In-Season Exhibition

WKU Game Notes | WKU Gameday Information

Coach Stansbury Press Conference | Savage/Williams Press Conference

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball takes a break from the regular season to face Kentucky Wesleyan in an in-season exhibition at 7 p.m. CT Tuesday in E.A. Diddle Arena. The game is the 37th Annual BB&T Classic and will air online on ESPN3, on WKU PBS in Bowling Green and on WBNA in Louisville.

The Hilltoppers are coming off an 86-79 overtime win over previously unbeaten Arkansas on Dec. 7. That snapped a two-game losing streak.

Kentucky Wesleyan has won two straight and hosts Cedarville on Monday night. The teams played each other last year in a preseason exhibition, which WKU won 96-71.

EXHIBITION 2

Kentucky Wesleyan (3-5) at WKU (7-3)
December 17, 2019 | 7 p.m. CT
E.A. Diddle Arena | Bowling Green, Ky.

BROADCAST

Listen: Hilltopper Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship), C-USA.tv Audio (free), TuneIn Radio (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)
Watch: ESPN3; WKU PBS in Bowling Green; WNBA in Louisville (Nate Gatter, pxp | Jay Walton, analysis)
Live Stats: WKU Stats

TOP STORYLINES

• WKU is 61-4 all-time in preseason exhibition games, and the Hilltoppers have won 29 straight preseason tune-ups dating back to a 2002-03 loss to the Harlem Globetrotters.

• The Hilltoppers will be without the services of preseason All-American center Charles Bassey, who had season-ending surgery Dec. 10 to repair a tibial plateau fracture in his left leg.

• After WKU's victory over Arkansas on Dec. 7, the Hilltoppers are 8-4 against Power Five competition since the start of the 2017-18 season.

• Outside of WKU's loss to then-No. 2 Louisville, its other two defeats came away from home against two preseason league favorites – Bowling Green (MAC) and Wright State (Horizon) – by a combined four points.

• The Hilltoppers play 6 of 7 regular-season games away from home overall from Nov. 23 in the Virgin Islands through the Dec. 21 game at Rhode Island.

• As of Sunday, WKU ranked 11th in the country in field-goal percentage (50.0), 22nd in free-throw percentage (77.4), 36th in free throws made (168), 36th in scoring offense (80.2 ppg) and 40th in total blocks (49).

• WKU has made 26 more free throws (168) than its opponents have even attempted (142) through 10 games.

TICKETS

WKU Ticket Office: Single-game tickets for the Kentucky Wesleyan game remain available in person at the WKU Ticket Office, by phone at 1-800-5-BIGRED or online at WKUTickets.com.

PROMOTIONS

• Teddy Bear Toss
• Big Red's Rascals Day
• American Bank and Trust putt from 3pt line to win $1,000 cash
• Wendy's Freeze Out Promo - If an opposing player misses two free throws in a row, every fan in the arena gets a free Wendy's Frosty
• Smart Start Post Game Shootaround on court for all kids
• Taco Bell Challenge – When WKU scores 70 points or more, all fans can redeem a free taco at Taco Bell

LAST GAME AGAINST KENTUCKY WESLEYAN: NOVEMBER 3, 2018

WKU opened the game with a 10-0 run and never looked back, rolling to a 96-71 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan in its final exhibition at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The Hilltoppers scored the first 10 points of the game, allowed Kentucky Wesleyan to answer with five points, then scored 10 more in a row to pull away in the early going.

Sophomore Taveion Hollingsworth and freshman Charles Bassey each scored 24 points and recorded a double-double, and the Hilltoppers dominated the inside game.

MED CENTER HEALTH

The 2019-20 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.

Hilltoppers Pause to Host Kentucky Wesleyan in Tuesday's In-Season Exhibition

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Charles Bassey

Taveion Hollingsworth