| Game 32Â vs. Louisiana Tech Conference USA Tournament Quarterfinals Thursday, March 10 | 6 p.m. CT | Frisco, Texas Season presented by Med Center Health |
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| Records |  WKU (19-12) • Louisiana Tech (22-9) | ||||
| 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 |  Josh Appel (play-by-play) | Tim Scarborough (analysis)  Stadium/WKU PBS |
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| Live Stats | Â C-USA Stats | ||||
| Tickets | Â Tournament Tickets | ||||
| Game Notes | Â WKU Game Notes | Marshall/Louisiana Tech Game Notes | ||||
| Pregame Video | Â Coach Stansbury | Sharp/McKnight | ||||
| Social Media | Â @WKUBasketball  | @WKUBasketball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
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FRISCO, Texas — WKU Hilltopper Basketball begins its quest for a title against LA Tech in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Tournament at 6 p.m. CT Thursday in Frisco, Texas.
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The Hilltoppers finished the regular season winning nine of their last 10, including a 78-69 home win over Marshall in Saturday's finale. Louisiana Tech beat Marshall 77-67 on Wednesday in the second round of the C-USA tourney.
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WKU has reached at least the semifinals of its conference tournament in 14 of the last 16 tournaments played. It's 22-5 in the quarterfinal round dating back to 1983. The Hilltoppers are 20-19 all-time against Louisiana Tech.
TOP STORYLINES
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• WKU will be trying to secure its 48th 20-win season Thursday. Only Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, Kansas and Louisville have more 20-win seasons than WKU. The Hilltoppers are one of 14 schools in the nation to have won at least 20 games in each of the previous four seasons.
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• As of Monday, WKU leads the country in fewest fouls per game (11.3) and ranks fifth in total blocks (183), sixth in blocks per game (5.9), 21st in total steals (262), 30th in steals per game (8.5), 39th in field-goal percentage (47.1%) and 50th in defensive rebounds per game (27.1).
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• Last week, junior center Jamarion Sharp was named a semifinalist 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 two schools, along with Richmond, to have a player represented the last two years, and the only school to have two different players represented.
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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 Monday, Sharp led the nation in total dunks (85), total blocks (142) and blocks per game (4.6), and was second in block percentage (17.4%).
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• Sharp has more blocks himself this season (142) than 315 Division I programs have as a team, which is 90% 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 three players in the country averaging at least 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and one steal per game this year. He ranks ninth nationally in total assists (176) and 13th in assists per game (5.7).
LAST GAME AGAINST LOUISIANA TECH: JANUARY 1, 2022
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WKU couldn't hold on to a 17-point, second-half lead on the road, falling 74-73 at Louisiana Tech in the team's Conference USA opener.
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WKU led by 17 with 15:54 to go and by 12 with 4:08 remaining, but the Hilltoppers never scored another field goal. Louisiana Tech outscored WKU 18-5 the rest of the way, including two free throws by Kenneth Lofton Jr. with five seconds left that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good.
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Camron Justice led WKU with 22 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, and Dayvion McKnight added 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Fifth-year senior guard Josh Anderson contributed 15 points off the bench.
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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