| Game 20 vs. Charlotte Saturday, January 21 | 6 p.m. CT | Bowling Green, Ky. Season presented by Med Center Health |
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| Records | WKU (11-8, 3-5 C-USA) • Charlotte (12-7, 3-5 C-USA) | ||||
| Listen | Hilltopper Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship); C-USA.tv Audio; Varsity Network Randy Lee (pxp) | Hal Schmitt (analysis) |
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| Watch | ESPN+ Nate Gatter (pxp) | Jay Walton (analysis) | Lexi Schweinert (sideline) |
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| Live Stats | WKU MBB Stats | ||||
| Tickets | WKU Tickets | $10 Bleacher Tickets | ||||
| Game Notes | WKU Game Notes | ||||
| Most Recent Media | N/A | ||||
| Social Media | @WKUBasketball  | @WKUBasketball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball is looking to stop its two-game skid as it returns home on Saturday for a match-up against Charlotte. The game will start at 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Both teams are entering the contest on a two-game loss streak. The Hilltoppers most recently dropped an overtime game at Louisiana Tech on Thursday night while Charlotte lost to Middle Tennessee on the road.
WKU is 23-12 all-time against the 49ers including a 15-2 mark at home. The Hilltoppers are 10-4 against Charlotte in the Stansbury era.
PROMOTIONS
- JA Classic presented by Logan Aluminum
- Giveaway: The first 500 fans will also receive a free t-shirt for the JA Classic.
- Lunar New Year Celebration: The WKU Chinese program will be handing out 1,000 Gifts prepared by learners of Chinese. Live creation of Chinese calligraphy artwork will be available on the second-floor common areas throughout the game.
- Halftime Performance: Traditional Chinese dance and music will be delivered by students and teachers in the Chinese program and the WKU String Academy.
- Big Red Rascals Night: Big Red Rascals members receive free admission
WKU VS. CHARLOTTE SERIES BREAKDOWN
Overall History: WKU leads 24-12
Series Record in Bowling Green: WKU leads 15-2
Last Meeting: WKU 77, Charlotte 67 | February 17, 2022 | Bowling Green, Ky.
WKU Hilltopper Basketball shot better than 55% from the field and again got big outings from the duo of Dayvion McKnight and Camron Justice, downing Charlotte 77-67 at E.A. Diddle Arena.
McKnight and Justice combined for 42 points as the Hilltoppers won their fourth game in eight days and sixth straight overall.
The sophomore guard McKnight scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the first half, going 7-for-7 from the field before the break.
Two of those shots were back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 56 seconds of the frame that made it a 47-36 halftime lead.
Charlotte got back in it with an 8-0 run in the second half that made it 51-48 with 16:38 remaining.
The 49ers pulled within two multiple times in the second half. The lead was 61-59 with 8:04 to go, but the graduate senior guard Justice found junior center Jamarion Sharp for a lob dunk and then hit a 3 in transition to push it back to a seven-point lead.
Justice finished with 20 points and seven assists while knocking down 5 of 8 3-pointers. McKnight added five assists and 8-of-11 shooting.
McKnight and Justice have combined for 92 points in the last two games, while Justice has made 11 of 18 3-pointers over that span.
The Hilltopper shot 55.1% from the field and made 11 of 19 3-pointers, recording just eight turnovers.
Senior forward Jairus Hamilton chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds.
Austin Butler scored 21 points to lead Charlotte.
TOP STORYLINES
- Over the last 11 games, Dayvion McKnight is averaging 20.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 47.2% (85-180) from the field and 82.1% (46-56) from the charity stripe. He's scored 25 points or more in 5 of those 11 games. He's shooting 50% (10-20) from 3 in conference play.
- Head coach Rick Stansbury has missed the last eight games, all in conference play, due to health issues. Associate head coach Phil Cunningham stepped in the interim as he did before in 2021.
- WKU took its first three conference losses by a total of 12 points. The Hilltoppers are outscoring opponents 262-225 in the first half but being outscored 302-342 in the second.
- As of Friday, Jamarion Sharp leads the country in total blocks (81) and blocks per game (4.3), leading the Hilltoppers to seventh in the nation as a team in blocks per game (5.9).
- In just 50 games as a Hilltopper, Jamarion Sharp broke the program record for blocks in a career, previously held by Jeremy Evans.
- Jamarion Sharp's 81 blocks are more than what 82% of Division I programs have logged as a team. His average of 4.3 blocks/game is more than what 79% of Division I teams are averaging.
- In the last two seasons, Dayvion McKnight has started in all 51 of WKU's contests, scoring at least 10 points in 44 of those.
- With 13 blocks against Indianapolis on Nov. 15, the Hilltoppers broke the program's record for blocks in a single game.
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.
