| Game 11 at South Carolina Thursday, December 22 | 6 p.m. CT | Columbia, S.C. Season presented by Med Center Health |
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| Records | WKU (8-2) • South Carolina (5-6) | ||||
| Listen | Brett Williams (play-by-play) | Hal Schmitt (analysis) Hilltopper Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship); C-USA.tv Audio; Varsity Network |
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| Watch | Mike Morgan (play-by-play) | Pat Bradley (analysis) SEC Network |
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| Live Stats | South Carolina MBB Stats | ||||
| Tickets | South Carolina Tickets | ||||
| Game Notes | WKU Game Notes | South Carolina Game Notes | ||||
| Most Recent Media | HC Rick Stansbury/McKnight & Hamilton - Louisville | ||||
| Social Media | @WKUBasketball  | @WKUBasketball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball is looking to close out its non-conference slate with a win as it takes on South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be nationally televised on the SEC Network.
The Hilltoppers are coming off a loss at Louisville last week while the Gamecocks most recently lost at East Carolina on Saturday.
Head coach Rick Stansbury, a 14-year head coach in the SEC, is 12-6 all-time against the Gamecocks.
WKU VS. SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES BREAKDOWN
Overall History: South Carolina leads 7-1
Series Record at Location: South Carolina leads 3-0 in Columbia
Last Meeting: South Carolina 75, WKU 64 | Asheville Championship
WKU Hilltopper Basketball struggled on the glass against South Carolina, falling 75-64 in its final game in the Asheville Championship.
South Carolina outrebounded the Hilltoppers 46-28, sank nine 3-pointers and made 14 of 18 free throws to halt a second-half comeback effort by WKU.
The Gamecocks took control in the first half with a 13-2 run that made it 24-13 with 5:56 to go.
WKU cut it to 31-24 at the break on a late 3-pointer by graduate senior guard Camron Justice – playing in his first game back with the Hilltoppers since 2019-20 after getting eligible this week. It was also just 24 hours after Justice got married the prior evening.
The Hilltoppers came roaring back out of halftime with a quick seven points from redshirt senior guard Luke Frampton, and two free throws by sophomore guard Dayvion McKnight tied the game at 35-all with 17:11 to go.
But South Carolina answered with a 3 from James Reese, and the Gamecocks eventually rattled off a 14-4 run to push the lead back to double digits.
A 3-pointer by fifth-year senior guard Josh Anderson cut WKU's deficit to seven with 3:28 remaining, but South Carolina knocked down another 3 to end the threat.
Anderson led the Hilltoppers with 16 points.
Senior forward Jairus Hamilton finished with 13 points and six rebounds, and McKnight added 11 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals.
Jermaine Couisnard and Devin Carter each had 16 points to pace South Carolina.
TOP STORYLINES
- WKU is 11-10 against Power Five teams since the start of the 2017-18 season. The Hilltoppers' most recent Power Five win was over Louisville on Dec. 18, 2021. WKU's most recent Power Five win on the road was at Alabama on Dec. 19, 2020. Out of the 21 games played, 17 have come away from Diddle Arena.
- WKU is 30-50 all-time against the current SEC membership while Stansbury is 144-118 in his career against the SEC. The Hilltoppers are 4-2 against the SEC under Stansbury.
- As of Tuesday, WKU is fourth in the country in 3-point percentage (42.3%) and third in blocks per game (6.1).
- As of Tuesday, Jamarion Sharp leads the country in total blocks (46) and blocks per game (4.6). Luke Frampton is third in the country in 3-point percentage (54.4%), attempting the most 3's out of the top-three players.
- In WKU's win over Wright State, Dayvion McKnight became the ninth player in college basketball since 2010-11 to log at least his stat line or better: 32 points, three assists, four steals, four rebounds and 76% FG
- Dayvion McKnight became the first Hilltopper since 2000 to log seven steals when he did so at Austin Peay on Nov. 30.
- With 13 blocks against Indianapolis on Nov. 15, the Hilltoppers broke the program's record for blocks in a single game.
- In WKU's 127-61 rout of Kentucky State on Nov. 12, the team broke numerous 3-point shooting records for both the program and in NCAA DI history.
MED CENTER HEALTH
The 2022-23 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.
