| Game 25 vs. Middle Tennessee Thursday, February 9 | 7 p.m. CT | Bowling Green, Ky. Season presented by Med Center Health |
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| Records | WKU (13-11, 5-8 C-USA) • Middle Tennessee (15-9, 8-5 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 | CBS Sports Network Dave Ryan (pxp) | BJ Taylor (analysis) |
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| Live Stats | WKU MBB Stats | ||||
| Tickets | WKU Tickets | ||||
| Game Notes | WKU Game Notes | MTSU Game Notes | ||||
| Most Recent Media | Coach and Players Preview | ||||
| Social Media | @WKUBasketball  | @WKUBasketball  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball and the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders are set to match up for the 144th time in program history on Thursday night. The game will tip at 7 p.m. CT and will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
Both teams are coming off home wins over UTSA and UTEP from last week. The Hilltoppers defeated UTEP on Saturday 74-69 while MTSU beat UTSA 84-60.
WKU leads the all-time series between the two programs 97-46, including a 54-17 mark in Bowling Green, dating back to the 1914-15 season. Head coach Rick Stansbury is 4-7 all-time in his career against the Blue Raiders.
PROMOTIONS
- White Out: All fans are encouraged to wear white!
- Giveaway: The first 3,000 fans will receive a white pompom
- Student Game Day Fit Photos: Students are encouraged to dress in their best white game day outfits as a photographer takes pictures in the student tunnel from 6:30-7
- Residence Hall Challenge: The floor that brings the most students will earn a pizza party with a visit from Big Red
- Halftime Performance: Dazzling Dribblers
- Presented by Anthem
WKU VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE SERIES BREAKDOWN
Overall History: WKU leads 97-46
Series Record in Bowling Green: WKU leads 54-17
Last Meeting: Middle Tennessee 65, WKU 60 | December 31, 2022 | Murfreesboro, Tenn.
WKU Hilltopper Basketball couldn't hold off a sharp-shooting Middle Tennessee team in the second half, falling to the Blue Raiders 65-60 in its second Conference USA game of the season.
MTSU shot 77.8% in the second half from beyond the arc after shooting just 7.7% in the first half.
The Hilltoppers scored the first seven points of the game, capped by a 3-pointer from Luke Frampton.
WKU held MTSU scoreless for nearly five minutes as Camryn Weston broke that drought with a dunk. At the 5:29 mark, Middle was 1 of its last 17 field goals, the sole one being a Weston's dunk, before Eli Lawrence nailed a 3 from just beyond the arc.
The Blue Raiders eventually closed the gap and got the point differential to one with 3:47 on the clock.
WKU closed out the half on a 9-2 run to extend its lead to 27-19 entering the break. At halftime, the Hilltoppers had held the Blue Raiders to just 25% from the floor and a 1 of 13 (7.7%) mark from the 3-point line.
Middle Tennessee opened up the second half scoring seven straight in just over a minute. Frampton snapped the streak with a 3-pointer off the wing.
For the next 10 minutes, the teams exchanged buckets and both teams got hot. MTSU was 6 for 6 from the arc to start the second half.
From the 8:33 to 0:42 on the clock, the Blue Raiders used a 15-4 run to flip the script from a 49-46 score in favor of the Tops to a 61-53 mark in their own favor. The Hilltoppers couldn't overcome the deficit as the final seconds ticked away.
Middle Tennessee outrebounded WKU 47-36 on the game and had seven different players make a 3-pointer.
Following their 7.7% 3-point clip in the first half, the Blue Raiders shot an astounding 77.8% in the second.
Emmanuel Akot led WKU in scoring with 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting. He added six boards and a steal in his 29 minutes. Dayvion McKnight had 12 points, six assists and five rebounds while Jairus Hamilton was also in double-figure scoring with 10.
Teafale Lenard led all scorers with 19 points on 8 of 15 shooting along with six rebounds and three assists.
TOP STORYLINES
- Redshirt junior Dontaie Allen was named C-USA Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 23.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field and from long range. The two victories were his first two collegiate starts. He is the third Hilltopper to earn the honor this season, joining Dayvion McKnight and Luke Frampton.
- At last Saturday's game, WKU Athletics retired the jersey of Hilltopper legend Dwight Smith. Smith helped integrate the men's basketball program in the early 60's and becomes the 11th Hilltopper to have his jersey retired to the rafters of E.A. Diddle Arena.
- Last week, Luke Frampton underwent surgery to repair his right ACL that he tore less than three minutes into the game against Charlotte on Jan. 21.
- As of Wednesday, Jamarion Sharp leads the country in total blocks (97) and blocks per game (4.2). His average of 4.2 blocks/game is more than what 83% of Division I teams are averaging. His 97 blocks are more than what 79% of Division I programs have logged as a team.
- On Jan. 26 Jamarion Sharp was named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year watch list for the second year in a row.
- In just 50 games as a Hilltopper, Jamarion Sharp broke the program record for blocks in a career, previously held by Jeremy Evans.
- In the last two seasons, Dayvion McKnight has started in all 56 of WKU's contests, scoring at least 10 points in 49 of those.
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.
