Game Info
Conference USA Championship Second Round
No. 4E WKU (18-11, 11-7 C-USA) vs. No. 5W UAB (15-14, 8-10 C-USA)
Wednesday, March 9 | 1:30 p.m.
Frisco, Texas | Ford Center at The Star
Watch (ESPN+) | Listen (ESPN 102.7) | Live Stats
Game Notes
About the Lady Toppers
- The Lady Toppers are the four seed out of the East division with an 11-7 C-USA record.
- Three Lady Toppers earned C-USA awards on Monday. Mya Meredith was named Freshman of the Year and was tabbed to the All-Freshmen Team. Meral Abdelgawad earned All-Conference First Team and All-Defensive Team honors. Alexis Mead joined Meredith on the five-person All-Freshmen Team.
- WKU has 299 steals on the season, the 23rd most in the nation, and their 10.3 steals per game is also 29th in the NCAA and leads C-USA. WKU is also forcing 19.17 turnovers per game which is the 33rd best rate in the country.
- On the offensive side, WKU shares the ball at a high rate, notching 413 assists on the season which leads C-USA. The Lady Toppers are the conference's highest scoring team, putting up 70.8 points per game.
- WKU is efficient on offense, with the second leading 3-point field goal percentage in the conference (31.7%). The Lady Toppers have made 220 3-pointers this season, which is the second most in program history.
- Meral Abdelgawad was named a semifinalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year presented by Her Hoops Stats in February. She is C-USA's second leading scorer, averaging 19.8 points per game, good for the 21st highest rate in the nation. Her 573 total points scored on the season leads the league and is 16th nationally. It's also the seventh most scored by a WKU senior all-time. Her 67 steals are second in the conference and is 40th among all NCAA players. She's shooting 54.7 percent from the field on the season, which is second overall in the conference and the top percentage for a C-USA guard.
- The Lady Toppers are a freshmen-heavy team with five true freshmen. The rookies are contributing 52.1 percent of the scoring offense and providing 45.3 percent of the team's rebounds.
Series History vs. UAB
- WKU and UAB have played 26 times in series history with the Lady Toppers owning a 19-7 record against the Blazers.
- The two teams have met in the C-USA tournament only one other time. WKU won, 72-57, in Frisco in 2018 to claim the tournament title. The Lady Toppers and the Blazers have faced off in a conference tournament three total times, the other two times coming in the Sun Belt. WKU won both of those matchups.
- WKU and UAB played earlier this season in Birmingham. The Blazers won that matchup, 86-70.
UAB Notes
- The Blazers come into the tournament as the fifth seed out of the West division with an 8-10 C-USA record.
- Zakyia Weathersby averages a double-double, putting up 14.8 points per game and pulling down 11.3 rebounds per game. Emily Klaczek is averaging 10.8 points per game and Margaret Whitley is scoring 10.7 points per game.
Up Next
- If the Lady Toppers advance with a win against UAB, they will play No. 1W Louisiana Tech on Thursday, March 10 at 1:30 p.m. That game will be broadcasted on Stadium.
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.
