Tops Wrap Non-Conference Play at Home Against Belmont on Saturday

WKU Game Notes | Belmont Game Notes | WKU Gameday Information

Coach Stansbury Press Conference | Hollingsworth/Williams Press Conference

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball completes non-conference play at home against Belmont at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena. The game will air on Stadium and on WKU PBS in Bowling Green.

The Hilltoppers have played two straight overtime games, most recently an 86-82 loss in extra time at Rhode Island on Dec. 21.

Belmont most recently lost 92-72 to Alabama on Dec. 21. WKU is 4-7 all-time against the Bruins and has lost six straight, including the last five seasons. Head coach Rick Stansbury is 1-3 in his career against Belmont.

GAME 12

Belmont (8-4) at WKU (7-4)
December 28, 2019 | 6:30 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 (Jeff Younglove, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)
Watch: Stadium; WKU PBS in Bowling Green (Noah Coslov, pxp | Tim Scarborough, analysis)
Live Stats: WKU Stats

TOP STORYLINES

• The Hilltoppers have played two straight overtime games for the first time since the 2015-16 season, when they lost at UTEP and at home to Marshall in consecutive contests. WKU has not played three straight overtime games since the 1979-80 campaign.

• In both overtime games, WKU had to mount furious comebacks to force OT. The Hilltoppers trailed Rhode Island by nine with 4:47 left in regulation and Arkansas by five with 36 seconds remaining.

• WKU redshirt junior guard Patrick Murphy is the brother of Belmont starting sophomore guard Grayson Murphy, who averages 8.8 points per game and leads the Bruins in rebounds and assists.

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

• As of Thursday, WKU ranked 14th in the country in field-goal percentage (49.2), 19th in free-throw percentage (78.1), 23rd in fouls per game (14.4), 30th in scoring offense (80.4 ppg) and 36th in blocks per game (5.0).

• WKU has made 24 more free throws (185) than its opponents have even attempted (161) through 11 games.

TICKETS

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

PROMOTIONS

• Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night
• Big Red Rascal's 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 BELMONT: DECEMBER 19, 2018

WKU made a late comeback against Belmont after falling behind 19, but couldn't quite get over the hump in an 80-74 road loss.

The Hilltoppers trailed 55-36 with 15:53 left in the game, but got back into the fray with a 13-0 run. They had a 3-point try in the waning seconds to trim their deficit to one, but the shot didn't drop – a common theme throughout the evening.

Sophomore guard Josh Anderson finished with 16 points, six rebounds and two assists. Freshman center Charles Bassey tied for the team lead in scoring with 16 points and 10 rebounds, recording his fifth double-double of the year.

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.

Tops Wrap Non-Conference Play at Home Against Belmont on Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Josh Anderson

Charles Bassey

Patrick Murphy