| Game 2Â vs. Minnesota Asheville Championship First Round Friday, Nov. 12 | 5:30 p.m. CT | Asheville, N.C. Season presented by Med Center Health |
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| Records |  WKU (1-0) • Minnesota (1-0) | ||||
| Listen | Â Randy Lee (play-by-play) | Hal Schmitt (analysis) Â Hilltopper Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship); C-USA.tv Audio; Varsity Network |
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| Watch |  Mark Neely (play-by-play) | Robbie Hummel (analysis)  ESPNU |
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| Live Stats | Â Asheville Championship Stats | ||||
| Tickets | Â Asheville Championship Tickets | ||||
| Game Notes | Â WKU Game Notes | Minnesota Game Notes | ||||
| Pregame Video | Â Coach Stansbury | Hamilton/McKnight | ||||
| Social Media | Â @WKUBasketball  | @WKUBasketball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball takes an early step into tournament play this weekend in the Asheville Championship in Asheville, N.C. The Hilltoppers will first play Minnesota at 5:30 p.m. CT Friday on ESPNU.
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WKU opened the season Tuesday with a 79-74 comeback win over Alabama State. Minnesota began its campaign with a 71-56 victory over Kansas City.
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The Hilltoppers are 0-2 all-time against Minnesota with both matchups coming in tournaments, the last a 76-54 loss in the 2014 NIT Season Tip-Off. WKU head coach Rick Stansbury has never faced the Golden Gophers.
TOP STORYLINES
• WKU is 8-4 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.
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• WKU is 13-21 all-time against the current Big Ten membership, while head coach Rick Stansbury is 3-2. Two of those wins for Stansbury over ranked Purdue (2017) and Wisconsin (2018) came at the helm of the Hilltoppers. WKU is 9-6 against teams from the Power Five over the last four seasons.
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• Graduate senior guard Camron Justice was granted an additional season of eligibility on Wednesday. Justice last played for WKU in 2019-20 and had been working as a graduate assistant for WKU in basketball academics since summer 2021.
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• Across two exhibitions and the season opener, transfer forward Jairus Hamilton is averaging 20.7 points and 8.7 rebounds while also going a combined 12 of 18 (66.7%) from 3-point range.
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• WKU junior center Jamarion Sharp is the tallest player in college basketball at 7 feet, 5 inches. Sharp had 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in his exhibition debut vs. Campbellsville.Â
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• Josh Anderson was named a C-USA Preseason All-Conference honoree for the first time in his career. Anderson could become the first player in Hilltopper history to earn five letters with the program.
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LAST GAME AGAINST MINNESOTA: NOVEMBER 18, 2014
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WKU committed 25 turnovers and shot just 31.6% from the floor in a loss at Minnesota in the 2014 NIT Season Tip-Off.
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Nigel Snipes and Justin Johnson each scored 15 points to lead the Hilltoppers.
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Maurice Walker's 14 points paced Minnesota, which racked up 19 assists and 17 steals while shooting 52.8% from the field in the first half.
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MED CENTER HEALTH
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The 2021-22 WKU Basketball season is proudly presented by Med Center Health. Med Center Health has served Southcentral Kentucky for more than 90 years, and its system of care includes six acute care hospitals, a comprehensive network of physician practices and clinics, and hundreds of area physicians offering care in dozens of specialties. From emergency treatment to preventative care, Med Center Health is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the communities it serves. Learn more at medcenterhealth.org.
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