Hilltoppers Travel to Face New Mexico State on Thursday

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Hilltopper Basketball returns to road play this week and will face Conference USA opponent New Mexico State on Thursday, Jan. 18. Tipoff from Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M. is slated for 8 p.m. CT.

WKU enters the matchup against the Aggies with a 13-4 overall record and in second place in the current CUSA standings at 2-1. The Hilltoppers have won nine of the last 10 outings.

Game Info
WKU (13-4, 2-1) vs. New Mexico State (7-10, 1-1)
Thursday, Jan. 18 | 8 p.m. CT
Pan American Center | Las Cruces, N.M.
Game Links: ESPN+ | 100.7-FM (WKLX)/Varsity Network | Live Stats

Series History
Thursday will mark the 11th meeting between WKU and New Mexico State in a series dating back to 1956. The Tops are 9-1 all-time facing the Aggies.

H: 7-0 • A: 1-1 • N: 1-0
12/10/56           Bowling Green, Ky.        W, 95-74
12/06/58           Bowling Green, Ky.        W, 79-60
01/06/62           Bowling Green, Ky.        W, 71-67
01/16/01           Bowling Green, Ky.        W, 72-61
01/13/02           Bowling Green, Ky.        W, 83-67
03/04/02           New Orleans, La.          W, 73-72
01/25/03           Las Cruces, N.M.          L, 82-92
03/10/03           Bowling Green, Ky.        W, 78-59
01/24/04           Bowling Green, Ky.        W, 73-58
01/29/05           Las Cruces, N.M.          W, 77-75

2023-24 Conference Campaign
The Hilltoppers are coming off an 80-69 win at home against Jax State last Saturday to improve to 8-0 playing at Diddle Arena this season. The 8-0 mark is the best start at home for WKU since the 2008-09 season.

Where The Tops Stack Up
The Tops boast the top-scoring offense in the conference (79.4 PPG) and chart second in the nation in adjusted tempo (75.4 possessions per 40 min). WKU has totaled 80 or more points in eight games this season, and 90 or more points in four games this season.

The Hilltoppers currently chart as the top rebounding team in the CUSA and rank 19^th nationally in rebounds with 41.2 per game. The team ranks first in the conference and 17^th in the nation in three-point percentage defense, limiting opponents to a 28.3% mark from range.

WKU currently ranks 46^th in the nation in bench points per game (27.24) and 47^th in the nation in forced turnovers per game (15 p/g).

Don McHenry
Junior guard Don McHenry currently leads the team in average points (15.3) and assists (43), and charts as the second-leading scorer in the CUSA. The junior native of Milwaukee currently holds the conference's fourth-best FG% (min 5 FGM/G average) with a .450% mark.

→ Team-high 3-PT FG% (.389%)

→ 51-of-59 (.864%) mark from the stripe, good for best on the team for 5 or more attempts

→ CUSA Player of the Week honors (Dec. 18) following 30 points in win over Wright State

→ Has started all 17 outings for the Tops in 2023-24; leads team in average minutes

→ Has shot .500% or better from the field in 10-of-17 games

Brandon Newman and Babacar Faye each rank top 10 in the CUSA in rebounding, while Tyrone Marshall Jr. ranks third in the conference in blocks and sixth in steals.

Where To Watch
The Hilltoppers' game against New Mexico State will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with Adam Young and Rus Bradburd on the call. Fans can tune in live and listen on 100.7-FM (WKLX) or The Varsity Network mobile app as Hal Schmitt and Randy Lee call the game on radio.

Follow the team on social media (@wkubasketball) for the latest news and updates on all things Hilltopper Basketball as the team continues its CUSA campaign. Visit wkusports.com for more information.

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Players Mentioned

Babacar Faye

Tyrone Marshall Jr.

Don McHenry

Brandon Newman