EVANSVILLE, Ind. – WKU men's basketball travels for its third road tilt of the season facing Evansville on Saturday, Dec. 7. Tipoff from Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. is slated for 1 p.m. CT with ESPN+ set to broadcast the event.
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The Hilltoppers enter the matchup with the Purple Aces coming off a 90-82 win over Marshall last Saturday to improve to 4-3 on the year. Freshman Julius Thedford received CUSA Freshman of the Week honors on Monday after charting a career-best 19 points off 6-for-8 (.750%) shooting from the field with a 4-of-5 (.800%) clip from three-point range in the Tops' win over the Thundering Herd. The Memphis native also posted 18 points with a 7-of-10 free-throw mark in a hard-fought loss on the road at No. 8 Kentucky on Nov. 26.
GAME INFO
WKU (4-3, 0-0) vs. Evansville (3-5, 0-1)
Saturday, Dec. 7 | 1 p.m. CT
Ford Center | Evansville, Ind.
Watch:Â ESPN+
Listen: Hilltopper Sports Radio Network | 100.7-FM (WKLX)/Varsity Network
Live Stats:Â StatBroadcast
Game Notes:Â WKUÂ |Â UE
Tickets: WKUTickets.com | 1-800-5-BIG RED
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ABOUT THE TOPS
- Babacar Faye leads the Tops in scoring currently averaging 15 points per game with a team-best (min 10 attempts) .540% mark shooting from the field; Faye currently charts as the sixth-leading scorer in CUSA
- Faye's team-high .814% free-throw percentage is currently the fourth best mark in CUSA
- Faye leads WKU in rebounding with 7.3 rebounds per outing, good for sixth-most in CUSA
- Faye led the Tops in scoring in the team's season opener against Wichita State, charting a career-best 28 points with 8 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block
- McHenry has finished with 20+ points in three of the Tops' seven games this season, recording a team-high 23 points on the road at Grand Canyon and 21 points in the team's season opener against Wichita State and Lipscomb on Nov. 17
- McHenry currently charts as the Hilltoppers' second-leading scorer at 14.4 ppg and has averaged 1.7 assists per game, good for second-most on the team; the Hilltopper guard currently charts as the ninth-leading scorer in CUSA and boasts the eighth-highest shooting clip in CUSA at .400%
- Jalen Jackson leads the Tops in assists averaging 2.9 per outing, good for 13th most in CUSA
- Tyrone Marshall Jr. currently averages the third-most defensive rebounds per game in CUSA with 5.9 per outing; the total ranks 77th nationallyÂ
- The Hilltoppers rank fourth in CUSA in made three-pointers per game with 8.6
- The Tops lead CUSA in bench points per game with 32.7 per outing; the total ranks 34th nationallyÂ
- WKU ranks second in CUSA in defensive rebounds with 30 per game; the mark is good for 17th best in the nation
- The Tops' 9.1 steals per game is second in CUSA and ranks top 50 nationally
- The Hilltoppers tout the eighth-highest adjusted tempo in the nation, averaging 72.9 possessions per 40 minutes
- WKU has posted victories in four of its last five outings; the Hilltoppers tout a 4-1 mark playing at home in Diddle ArenaÂ
A win would improve WKU to 41-20 all-time in meetings against Evansville and push the Tops over .500% in road outings facing the Purple Aces. Saturday will mark the first time the teams have squared off since Dec. 8, 2009. WKU saw victory, 63-57, in the home matchup in Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers' series with the Purple Aces dates back to 1927 and saw the teams face off every year from 1938-1952. During that 15-year stretch, WKU charted a 26-6 overall record against Evansville.
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SCOUTING THE PURPLE ACES
- Evansville enters the game with a 3-5 record and a 0-1 mark in conference play
- Last time out, the Purple Aces fell at Murray State, 61-63, in the team's MVC openerÂ
- Forward Gabriel Pozzato recorded 15 points and six steals in the loss facing the Racers; the native of Italy has averaged 15.4 points on the year
- Pozzato is one of three Aces averaging double figures in 2024-25
- Forward Josh Hughes recorded four blocks against the Racers and ranks second in the MVC with an average of 1.38 per game
Follow the team on social media (@wkubasketball) and visit wkusports.com for the latest news and updates on all things Hilltopper Basketball as the team continues its 2024-25 campaign.
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