Game Info
WKU (11-6, 2-0 CUSA) at Jacksonville State (6-8, 1-1 CUSA)
Saturday, Jan. 13 at 2:30 p.m.
Jacksonville, Ala. | Pete Mathews Coliseum
Game Notes: WKU
Watch: ESPN+
Links: Listen (ESPN 102.7/Varsity Network) | Live Stats
About the Lady Toppers
- WKU is off to a 2-0 start to league play with a win at Liberty and a victory against Sam Houston at home on Wednesday night. The Lady Toppers are tied with FIU at the top of the CUSA standings.
- Acacia Hayes is WKU's and CUSA's leading scorer, putting up 16.7 points per game. Hayes leads the conference in five different statistical categories (total field goals, total free throws made, points, points per game, field goal attempts). Her 284 total points on the season are the 34th most nationally and her 66 made free throws are 26th in the country.
- Alexis Mead is the conference's steals (34) and assists (66) leader this season. The junior point guard is putting up 10.5 points per game, dishing out 3.9 assists per game and averaging 2.0 steals per game.
- Destiny Salary has made her impact known with just six games under her belt as a Lady Topper. Salary is scoring 14.7 points per game that includes two 20-point performances. She's led WKU in scoring in three of her six games played.
- WKU is forcing teams into 20.29 turnovers per game this season, which is the second highest average in CUSA and 34th highest in the nation. On those turnovers, the Lady Toppers are averaging 11.4 steals per game which is the most in the league and 23rd in the NCAA.
- The Lady Toppers finished non-conference play with wins against Mercer, Southern Utah, Cornell, Miami (OH), Bucknell, Vermont, Abilene Christian, Nevada and West Virginia State for a 9-6 record.
- WKU was picked to finish tied for second place in the Conference USA preseason coaches poll released earlier in October. The Lady Toppers are coming off a second place CUSA finish in 2022-23, a championship game appearance in the CUSA tournament and a WNIT berth.
- Hayes and Mead were named to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team in October.
Series History
- Saturday's game between WKU and Jacksonville State will be the first ever meeting between the two teams.
- The Gamecocks' head coach will be a familiar face to Lady Topper fans. Rick Pietri was formally the head coach at South Alabama during WKU's time in the Sun Belt. WKU faced Pietri at South Alabama 26 times and WKU owns a 17-9 record against the head coach.
About the Gamecocks
- Jacksonville State is a well-balanced team with 12 players averaging double digit minutes this season. No player is averaging double digit points, but eight average at least five points per game.
- The Gamecocks lead CUSA in 3-point attempts per game (25.5) and 3-pointers made per game (7.8). Jacksonville State is also the league's leading defensive rebounding team, averaging 27.3 per game.
- Bre'Anna Rhodes is the team's leading scorer with a 9.0 points per game average. Keiara Griffin is the squad's leader on the boards, pulling down 4.8 rebounds per game.
Up Next
- The Lady Toppers will play both games next week in E.A. Diddle Arena. WKU will host New Mexico State on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. and UTEP on Saturday, Jan. 20 at noon.
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 X, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
-@WKUSports-
