Tops Travel to UTSA in Final Game Before Bonus Play

WKU Game Notes | UTSA Game Notes

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — WKU Hilltopper Basketball will vie for its fourth straight win in its final game before Bonus Play at UTSA at 2 p.m. CT Saturday in San Antonio, Texas. The game will stream online on CBS Sports Network on Facebook Watch.

After winning 67-62 at UTEP on Thursday, WKU can be no worse than the 2 seed in Bonus Play next week. WKU would be the top seed with a win and a North Texas loss.

UTSA is coming off a 72-63 home win over Marshall on Thursday. WKU is 3-2 all-time against the Roadrunners, including 1-1 in San Antonio. Hilltopper head coach Rick Stansbury is 2-3 in his career against UTSA.

GAME 26

WKU (17-8, 10-3 C-USA) at UTSA (12-14, 6-7 C-USA)
February 15, 2020 | 2 p.m. CT
UTSA Convention Center | El Paso, Texas

BROADCAST

Listen: Hilltopper Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship), C-USA.tv Audio (free), TuneIn Radio (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)
Watch: CBS Sports Network on Facebook Watch (Chris Hassel, pxp | Avery Johnson, analysis | Ashley Holder, sideline)
Live Stats: UTSA Stats

TOP STORYLINES

• WKU ranks second in Conference USA and 44th in the nation by holding opponents to 29.9 percent from 3-point range. That mark would be the lowest 3-point defensive percentage in program history.

• WKU has made 115 more free throws (423) than its opponents have even attempted (308) through 25 games.

• In the last 11 games, junior guard Taveion Hollingsworth is averaging 17.7 points per game while shooting 86.5 percent (64 of 74) from the free-throw line. Hollingsworth now ranks 18th in WKU history in all-time scoring, as well as tied for ninth in career games started and 10th in career minutes.

• Since the season-ending injury to Charles Bassey, redshirt junior forward Carson Williams is averaging 15.2 points and 7.1 rebounds over the last 15 outings. He's shooting 56.3 percent from the field overall.

• Junior guard Josh Anderson entered the starting lineup with Bassey out. After reaching double figures in two of the first nine games of the year, Anderson has scored at least 10 points in 12 of the last 16.

• As of Friday, WKU ranked seventh nationally in free-throw percentage (78.5), 15th in free throws made (423), fourth in fouls per game (13.5), 62nd in field-goal percentage (46.0) and 50th in free-throw attempts (539).

• WKU's comeback from a 10-point halftime deficit against Southern Miss on Feb. 8 was its fourth win in Conference USA play after trailing by 10 or more points.

LAST GAME AGAINST UTSA: MARCH 6, 2019

WKU went to overtime once again with UTSA in Diddle Arena, but it was the Roadrunners who made big plays in the extra period to hand the Hilltoppers an 81-76 defeat in the regular-season finale.

The Hilltoppers forced OT with a late free throw by redshirt senior Lamonte Bearden, but UTSA's Jhivvan Jackson scored 24 of 29 points after halftime, including nine in overtime, to pull it out.

Charles Bassey led WKU with 21 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks for his 15th double-double. Lamonte Bearden had 17 points, eight assists and three steals on his Senior Night.

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.

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Players Mentioned

Josh Anderson

Charles Bassey

Lamonte Bearden

Taveion Hollingsworth

Carson Williams