Game Info
WKU (13-7, 4-1 CUSA) at FIU (13-5, 4-0 CUSA)
Thursday, January 25 | 6 p.m. (CT)
Miami, Florida | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
Watch: ESPN+
Links: Listen (ESPN 102.7/Varsity Network) | Live Stats
About the Lady Toppers
- WKU is off to a 4-1 start to league play with wins against Liberty, Sam Houston, Jacksonville State and UTEP.
- Acacia Hayes is WKU's and CUSA's leading scorer, putting up 16.4 points per game. She also leads the conference in total points (312).
- Alexis Mead is the conference's steals leader with 40 on the season. She's second in the league in assists with 80. In conference play, Mead is averaging 12.0 points, 5.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. She ranks in the top 18 in all of those categories in the league and is the only player to do so.
- Destiny Salary is the second leading scorer for WKU after nine games played this season. She's putting up 14.9 points per game, including two 25-point performances (vs. West Virginia State and vs. UTEP).
- WKU is forcing teams into 20.15 turnovers per game this season, which is the second highest average in CUSA and 35th highest in the nation. On those turnovers, the Lady Toppers are averaging 11.1 steals per game which is the most in the league and 24th 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 CUSA 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
- Thursday's game will be the 47th all-time between WKU and FIU. The Lady Toppers have a 36-10 record against the Panthers all-time and have won 12 of the last 13 matchups.
- WKU is 15-7 in Miami against FIU all-time.
FIU Notes
- The Panthers are tied with Middle Tennessee at the top of the CUSA standings with a 4-0 record and are 13-5 overall. In conference play, FIU has wins against Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, UTEP and Liberty.
- FIU leads the conference in rebound margin (7.4), scoring offense (71.5 points per game) and bench points (29.6 points per game). The Panthers are CUSA's second leading rebounding team, averaging 40.94 boards per game.
- Mya Kone is the team's leading scorer, scoring 11.9 points per game. She's also the team's leading rebounder, pulling down 7.7 boards per game.
- FIU has seven players averaging 20-plus minutes per game.
Up Next
- The Lady Toppers will be back in action next week on the road. WKU travels to Sam Houston on Feb. 1 and Middle Tennessee on Feb. 3.
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.
