| Game 29 at Middle Tennessee Saturday, Feb. 26 | 6 p.m. CT | Murfreesboro, Tenn. Season presented by Med Center Health |
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| Records |  WKU (17-11, 9-6 C-USA) • Middle Tennessee (21-7, 12-3 C-USA) | ||||
| Listen |  Randy Lee (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 |  Jake Rose (play-by-play) | Duane Hickey (analysis)  ESPN+ |
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| Live Stats | Â Middle Tennessee Stats | ||||
| Game Notes | Â WKU Game Notes | Middle Tennessee Game Notes | ||||
| Pregame Video | Â Coach Stansbury | Sharp/Justice | ||||
| Social Media | Â @WKUBasketball  | @WKUBasketball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball brings its seven-game winning streak into a big C-USA East Division game at Middle Tennessee at 6 p.m. CT Saturday in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The game will air on ESPN+.
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WKU won seven games in 17 days for the first time since 1994-95 last week with a 73-64 home victory over Old Dominion. MT improved to 14-0 at home by beating Marshall 74-65 on Thursday to also earn its seventh straight win.
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WKU is 97-44 all-time in the series that dates back to the 1914-15 season, including 39-27 in Murfreesboro. WKU's Rick Stansbury is 4-5 all-time against the Blue Raiders.
TOP STORYLINES
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• WKU is trying to win eight straight games overall for the first time since 2014-15 and eight straight games in league play for the first since 2007-08. The Hilltoppers, 7-0 in February, are trying to go undefeated in a month for the first since November 2004, when they went 3-0.
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• As of Thursday, WKU leads the country in fewest fouls per game (11.6) and ranks fifth in total blocks (162), ninth in blocks per game (5.8), 29th in field-goal percentage (47.6%) and total steals (231), 38th in steals per game (8.2) and 52nd in total assists (411).
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• Last month, junior center Jamarion Sharp was named to the watch list for the Naismith Men's National Defensive Player of the Year. This is the second straight year WKU has put a player on the list, with Charles Bassey making the semifinals for the award last season. WKU is one of just four schools – along with Baylor, Tennessee and Richmond – to have a player on the watch list the last two seasons.
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• Jamarion Sharp is the tallest player in college basketball at 7 feet, 5 inches. He's also the tallest player in the history of the Hilltopper program. As of Thursday, Sharp led the nation in total dunks (76) and ranks second in total blocks (125), blocks per game (4.5) and block percentage (17.3%). Sharp has more blocks himself this season (125) than 311 Division I programs have as a team, which is 89% of all D-I teams. He also holds the WKU record for most blocks in a season.
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• Sophomore guard Dayvion McKnight is one of four players in the country averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal per game this year. He ranks eighth nationally in total assists (166) and 13th in assists per game (5.9).
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LAST GAME AGAINST MIDDLE TENNESSEE: JANUARY 29, 2022
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WKU couldn't contain the hot shooting of rival Middle Tennessee, falling 93-85 at E.A. Diddle Arena.
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The Blue Raiders made 15 of 26 shots from long range to hand the Hilltoppers their fifth straight loss. Middle Tennessee made a blistering 8 of 14 3-pointers before the break and built a 42-37 halftime advantage despite 15 first-half points from WKU sophomore guard Dayvion McKnight.
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The Blue Raiders picked up where they left off by making their first four 3s of the second half, with their lead swelling as large as 14 with 15:52 to go.
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Josh Jefferson led Middle Tennessee with 31 points on 7-of-9 3-point shooting.
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McKnight paced WKU with 24 points, 10 assists and five rebounds and three steals.
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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