Game 15 at UTSA Saturday, January 7 | 3 p.m. CT | San Antonio, Texas Season presented by Med Center Health |
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Records | WKU (8-6, 0-3 C-USA) • UTSA (7-8, 1-3 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 | Stadium Chris Voster (pxp) | John Giannini (analysis) |
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Live Stats | UTSA Stats | ||||
Tickets | Purchase | ||||
Game Notes | WKU Game Notes | UTSA Game Notes | ||||
Most Recent Media | Interim HC Phil Cunningham North Texas Postgame | Player North Texas Postgame | ||||
Social Media | @WKUBasketball ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball looks to snap its five-game skid and pick up its first win in league action on Saturday afternoon. The 3 p.m. CT game will be streamed on Stadium.
The Hilltoppers most recently dropped a conference game to 70-66 North Texas on Thursday night while the Roadrunners got their first league win over Middle Tennessee 75-72.
WKU is 7-3 all-time against UTSA, including a 5-3 mark in the Rick Stansbury era. Associate head coach Phil Cunningham is expected to continue his stint as interim head coach in Stansbury's absence.
WKU VS. UTSA SERIES BREAKDOWN
Overall History: WKU leads 7-3
Series Record in San Antonio: WKU leads 3-1
Last Meeting: WKU 71, UTSA 65 | February 12, 2022 | San Antonio, Texas
WKU Hilltopper Basketball survived a scare with some clutch play late, beating UTSA 71-65 for its fourth straight win overall and third consecutive road victory.
The Hilltoppers fell behind 63-62 with 3:56 left, but got six straight points from sophomore guard Dayvion McKnight to reclaim the lead for good.
A jumper by senior forward Jairus Hamilton with 30 seconds left as the shot clock expired made it 70-65 and turned out to be the dagger.
WKU got the lead to 30-18 with 9:37 remaining in the first half after back-to-back dunks by fifth-year senior guard Josh Anderson, but the Roadrunners trimmed their deficit to 37-35 at the break.
The Hilltoppers kept UTSA at bay until a 7-0 run midway through the second half gave the Roadrunners a 57-54 lead.
WKU responded with its own 7-0 run, starting with a 3-pointer by Hamilton and capped by a lob dunk from junior center Jamarion Sharp.
Jacob Germany put UTSA in front with under four minutes left with three straight free throws, but the Roadrunners had no answer for McKnight in the paint with his own 6-0 burst.
Hamilton and Anderson each had 18 points and combined for 13 rebounds, while graduate senior guard Camron Justice added 12 points and six boards.
McKnight finished with 12 points and six assists, and Sharp scored five points with 12 rebounds, including 10 in the second half.
Germany paced UTSA with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
TOP STORYLINES
- Over the last six games, Dayvion McKnight is averaging 23.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 60.9% (53-87) from inside the arc and 82.9% (34-41) from the charity stripe. He's scored 25 points or more in 4 of those 6 games.
- Head coach Rick Stansbury missed the last three games due to health issues. Associate head coach Phil Cunningham stepped in in the interim as he has before in 2021.
- WKU has lost its three conference games by a total of 12 points. The Hilltoppers are outscoring opponents 87-77 in the first half but being outscored 139-117 in the second.
- As of Friday, Jamarion Sharp leads the country in total blocks (61) and blocks per game (4.4). Luke Frampton is fourth in the country in 3-point percentage (50.0%).
- 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.