MCHENRY, MARSHALL NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CUSA; TOPS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU men's basketball senior guard Don McHenry and graduate forward Tyrone Marshall Jr. have been named as Preseason All-Conference USA honorees for 2024-25, the league announced on Thursday. In addition to the pair of preseason all-conference selections, the Hilltoppers were selected to finish in second place in the CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll and received two first-place votes following a vote by the conference's head coaches.

McHenry returns for the Tops in 2024-25 following a junior season that saw the Milwaukee native appear and start in all 34 games for the Tops in 2023-24. McHenry ended the year earning All-CUSA First-Team honors after charting as the Hilltoppers' leading scorer with 15.1 points per game while averaging a team-high 27.8 minutes per outing and finishing as the fourth-leading scorer in CUSA. McHenry was twice named CUSA Player of the Week in 2023-24 and finished the year earning NABC D1 All-District First-Team honors.

McHenry secured CUSA Tournament MVP honors after finishing with a team-best 25 points off 9-for-16 shooting and 5-of-6 from the stripe in the CUSA tournament title game facing UTEP. The Indian Hills CC transfer also charted the third-best FG% (.461%) and second-best FT% (.859%) in CUSA while posting double-digit point totals in 28 outings and 20-or-more points in eight games.

McHenry was recently selected as one of five players named to the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Preseason All-Conference USA Team for 2024-25.

Marshall enters the 2024-25 campaign for WKU after appearing in all 34 games for the Tops in 2023-24, starting in 33 contests. The graduate forward averaged the third-most minutes (24.5), points (8.8) and assists (2.2) on the team while leading the team in blocks (36) and steals (50). Marshall earned All-Conference USA Honorable Mention for the 2023-24 season.

Marshall scored in double figures 13 times on the year, posting a season-high 21 points in the Tops' NCAA Tournament First Round matchup with No. 2-seeded Marquette. The Nashville native connected on 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range in the first half, ending the period with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Marshall charted 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals and 1 assist on the road at Wright State on Dec. 12 and went 8-of-12 from the field and 2-of-3 from the arc while notching 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and a steal at home hosting Abilene Christian on Dec. 30. Marshall also posted a 12 point, 10 rebound double-double on the road at FIU on March 2.

McHenry and Marshall prepare to open the 2024-25 campaign under the leadership of head coach Hank Plona who enters his first season at the helm with WKU.

The Hilltoppers are picked to finish second in the CUSA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll. Along with McHenry and Marshall returning, the Tops return significant impact players in Jalen Jackson, Jack Edelen, Khristian Lander, Teagan Moore, Enoch Kalambay and Babacar Faye. These eight returners helped lead WKU to its first-ever CUSA tournament title and the team's first NCAA Tournament berth since 2013 in 2023-24. The tournament championship marked a 44^thconference championship for the program all-time and 24^th NCAA Tournament appearance in the program's history.

Hilltopper Basketball begins an exciting, 18-game regular-season home slate in Diddle Arena on Monday, Nov. 4 hosting Wichita State. The Tops will open 2024-25 competition with a charity exhibition game hosting UAB on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. CT in Diddle Arena. Net proceeds from ticket sales for the event will be donated to The Harold & Juanita Koon Teen Center at The Boys & Girls Club of Bowling Green.

For information on tickets visit wkusports.com/tickets or call the WKU Ticket Office at 1-800-5-BIGRED.

Follow the team on social media (@wkubasketball) and visit wkusports.com for the latest news and updates on all things Hilltopper Basketball.

MBB Preseason Player of the Year
Daniel Batcho, F, LA Tech

MBB Preseason All-Conference Team
Zach Cleveland, F, Liberty
Kaden Metheny, G, Liberty
Daniel Batcho, F, LA Tech
Jestin Porter, G, MTSU
Camryn Weston, G, MTSU
Christian Cook, G, NM State
Lamar Wilkerson, G, Sam Houston
Otis Frazier III, F, UTEP
Tyrone Marshall Jr., F, WKU
Don McHenry, G, WKU

MBB Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
1. LA Tech (3) – 87
2. WKU (2) – 85
3. Sam Houston (3) – 83
4. MTSU (1) – 69
T5. Liberty (1) – 62
T5. UTEP – 62
7. NM State – 39
8. Jax State – 29
T9. FIU – 17
T9. Kennesaw State – 17

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Players Mentioned

Jack Edelen

Babacar Faye

Jalen Jackson

Enoch Kalambay

Khristian Lander

Tyrone Marshall Jr.

Don McHenry

Teagan Moore

MCHENRY, MARSHALL NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CUSA; TOPS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND

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