WKU to Face #15 West Virginia in Crossover Classic Championship

WKU Game Notes | West Virginia Game Notes

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball will face No. 15 West Virginia at 12:30 p.m. CT Friday in the championship of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Tops advanced Thursday with a 75-69 victory over Memphis.

West Virginia reached the title game with a 78-66 win over VCU on Thursday.

The all-time series is tied 2-2, with every meeting on a neutral court. The most recent was a 63-57 WKU win in the semifinals of the 2018 Myrtle Beach Invitational. WKU head coach Rick Stansbury is 2-1 in his career against the Mountaineers.

GAME 3

WKU (2-0) vs. #15 West Virginia (2-0)
November 27, 2020 | 12:30 p.m. CT
Sanford Pentagon | Sioux Falls, S.D.

BROADCAST

Listen: Hilltopper Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship), C-USA.tv Audio (free), TuneIn Radio (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)

Watch: ESPN (Rich Hollenberg, pxp | Dan Dakich, analysis)

Live Stats: Crossover Classic Stats Page

THE HILL AT HOME

The Hilltoppers' game will be featured on The Hill at Home presented by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, a live video feed of Hal Schmitt and Voice of the Hilltoppers Randy Lee on the radio call. This broadcast of The Hill at Home can be found here (facebook.com/WKUAthletics) and will be live 30 minutes prior to tipoff. A Facebook login is required for viewing.

For more information on The Hill at Home, visit the following link: https://goto.ps/3kU1OrX

TOP STORYLINES

• WKU will be trying to win its first in-season tournament since beating No. 4 Kentucky and George Washington in 2001 to claim the NABC Classic title.

• The Hilltoppers are 32-100 all-time against ranked opponents, including 12-28 on a neutral court. Since the start of the 2017-18 season, WKU has gone 3-4 against top-25 teams.

• WKU is 7-16 all-time against the current Big 12 membership, the most recent win the 2018 victory over West Virginia in Myrtle Beach. Rick Stansbury is 4-5 in his career against current Big 12 members.

• WKU is 8-3 over the last four seasons in regular-season tournaments. The Hilltoppers have won two games each in the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis, 2018 Myrtle Beach Invitational, 2019 Paradise Jam and 2020 Crossover Classic.

• In the first two games of the season, WKU has made 46 of 55 free throws (83.6%), while its opponents have made just 15 of 22 from the stripe. The Hilltoppers have made 39 of 48 free throws in the second half of their two victories.

• Charles Bassey's seven blocks against Memphis on Thursday were the most by a Hilltopper since Teeng Akol blocked seven shots against VCU on Nov. 20, 2011. Bassey became the 19th Division I player since 2010 to have a game with at least 21 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks.

LAST GAME AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA: NOVEMBER 16, 2018

WKU went blow for blow in a gritty matchup with RV/No. 13 West Virginia, then made enough plays down the stretch to pull out a 63-57 win in the semifinals of the Myrtle Beach Invitational.

Sophomore guard Taveion Hollingsworth and freshman center Charles Bassey each had 13 points to lead WKU.

Going against First-Team All-Big 12 center Sagaba Konate, Bassey stood tall with a career-high 15 rebounds and 7-of-8 made free throws.

PLANET FITNESS

Your 2020-2021 Hilltopper Men's Basketball Season is presented by Planet Fitness - Bowling Green's original Judgement Free Zone.

WKU to Face #15 West Virginia in Crossover Classic Championship

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Players Mentioned

Charles Bassey

Taveion Hollingsworth