Tops End Long Layoff with Home Series Against Rice

WKU Game Notes | Rice Game Notes

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball returns to action after a nearly three-week layoff for a home series against Rice starting at 7 p.m. CT Friday at E.A. Diddle Arena. Friday's game will stream on ESPN+ and air locally in Bowling Green on WKU PBS, while Saturday's game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network at 5 p.m.

The Hilltoppers have won four straight, but have not played the last two weekends, first because of COVID-19 issues with Old Dominion and then with WKU itself. Rice swept Southern Miss at home last weekend.

WKU is 5-2 all-time against Rice, including a 2-1 record in Bowling Green. Hilltopper head coach Rick Stansbury is 4-0 in his career against the Owls.

GAMES 18 AND 19

Rice (12-8, 6-6 C-USA) at WKU (13-4, 6-2 C-USA)

February 12, 2021 | 7 p.m. CT
February 13, 2021 | 5 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 (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)

Watch: Friday: ESPN+ and WKU PBS (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)
Saturday: CBS Sports Network (Alex Del Barrio, pxp | Tim Doyle, analysis)

Live Stats: WKU Stats

TOP STORYLINES

• WKU will have not played for 19 days when it resumes action Friday against Rice, the program's longest in-season break since going from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10 without a game (25 days) in the 1972-73 campaign. WKU will have not played a home game in 28 days since Marshall on Jan. 15.

• WKU's 13-4 record is its best start since the 2001-02 season, when the Hilltoppers went 28-4.

• WKU has five top-90 NET wins so far this season over Alabama (9), Memphis (60), Marshall twice (71) and Rhode Island (88). Two of its losses came vs. West Virginia (17) on a neutral court and at Louisville (35).

• Charles Bassey has been named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List for National Player of the Year. He's also on the Naismith Trophy and Lute Olson National POY watch lists, Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year top 10 list.

• As of Wednesday, Charles Bassey ranked first in the nation in dunks (43), second in blocked shots per game (3.4), third in double-doubles (11), total rebounds (195) and rebounds per game (12.2), and fourth in total blocks (55) and defensive rebounds per game (8.8). Bassey continues to be among the nation's leaders in these categories despite not playing in the last three weeks.

• In his last three games, redshirt senior forward Carson Williams is averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds per game, while shooting 50% overall and from the 3-point line, as well as 79% from the free-throw line.

THE HILL AT HOME

The Hilltoppers' games 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 (wkusports.com/MBBSecondScreen) and will be live 30 minutes prior to tipoff.

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

LAST GAME AGAINST RICE: JANUARY 4, 2020

WKU clamped down on defense in winning time, staying unbeaten in Conference USA action with a 68-61 victory over Rice at E.A. Diddle Arena.

Rice tied up the game at 58-all with 5:40 to play, but the Hilltoppers held the Owls scoreless for more than five minutes and scored eight straight points to pull away.

Carson Williams led all scorers with 22 points and 13 rebounds, netting 10 of 14 shots from the field.

Camron Justice finished with 13 points and three made 3s, and Josh Anderson added 11 points and five rebounds. Jared Savage tallied eight points and nine boards.

PLANET FITNESS

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

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Players Mentioned

Josh Anderson

Charles Bassey

Camron Justice

Jared Savage

Carson Williams