Game Info
WKU (4-3) at Bellarmine (1-4)
Thursday, Dec. 2 | 5:30 p.m. (CT)
Louisville, Ky. | Freedom Hall
Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (ESPN 102.7) | Live Stats
Game Notes: WKU | Bellarmine
About the Lady Toppers
- WKU enters the game with a three-game winning streak on the line after going 3-0 in the Lady Toppers' three-game homestand. Most recently, WKU topped Tennessee State 77-65 behind 18 points from Meral Abdelgawad and 16 points from Alexis Mead and Mya Meredith each.
- Mead became the first Lady Topper to earn a weekly award in the 2021-22 season on Monday. The Moreno Valley, California native was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Week after 25-point and 16-point performances last week. The rookie currently has the ninth best assist/turnover ratio in the league and the highest among all C-USA freshmen.
- WKU's defensive pressure has shown up statistically. The Lady Toppers' 86 steals on the season is 14th most in the nation and their 23.86 turnovers forced per game is 15th nationally. Both marks lead C-USA.
- On the offensive side, WKU has dished out 115 assists on the season which leads C-USA and is 26th in the NCAA. The Lady Toppers' 62 made 3-pointers leads the league and is 19th in the country.
- Meral Abdelgawad is WKU's leading scorer, averaging 14.7 points per game, and has the 29th most steals in the country with 19 on the season. Abdelgawad is also leading the Lady Toppers on the glass, pulling down 8.6 boards per game. her 60 total rebounds are second in the league and 54th nationally.
- WKU has five true freshmen on the roster and the rookies have made an impact. The freshmen are scoring 57.4 percent of WKU's points through six games. Alexis Mead is leading the way, averaging 12.0 points per game and Mya Meredith is behind her with a 10.9 points per game average.
- Abdelgawad is the lone senior and upperclassman for WKU. The Lady Toppers are the only team in Conference USA with only one upperclassman. All other teams have at least four.
- Greg Collins enters his fourth season as head coach for WKU. In his four seasons on the sidelines, Collins has amassed 53 wins and his teams have posted a 72.1 winning percentage in Diddle Arena.
- The 2021-22 season is the 60th for WKU women's basketball.
Series History vs. Bellarmine
- WKU and Bellarmine have played 11 times in series history. The Lady Toppers own a 9-2 record against the Knights all-time.
- The Knights won the first two games in the series, but WKU has won nine straight since then.
- The first meeting between the two teams came in the 1973-74 season. The most recent game was Dec. 16 of last season. The Lady Toppers earned an 82-49 win in that game. Hope Sivori led all scorers with 15 points along with 11 assists for her first career double-double. Meral Abdelgawad also had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Bellarmine Notes
- The Knights won their first game of the season on Saturday with a 68-61 victory against Morehead State in Louisville.
- Jaela Johnson is the leading scorer for Bellarmine, averaging 11.8 points per game. Presley Brown is second on the team, putting up 9.6 points per game and Kathleen Scott is closely behind with a 9.2 average.
- Lauren Deel leads the Knights on the glass, pulling down 5.8 rebounds per game.
Up Next
- The Lady Toppers return home on Sunday, Dec. 5 for the final home non-conference game of the season. That game is set for a 2 p.m. tip.
- WKU will close out non-conference play with a three-game road swing with games at Miami (Ohio), Fairleigh Dickinson and Belmont.
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on WKU Lady Topper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on Twitter, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
