BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU men's basketball hosts New Mexico State on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. CT in Diddle Arena for Senior Day. The Hilltoppers enter the matchup against the Aggies coming off a 90-80 win over UTEP on Thursday night to improve to 18-7 overall and 7-4 in Conference USA league play.
Game Info
WKU (18-7, 7-4) vs. New Mexico State (11-14, 5-5)
Saturday, Feb. 17 | 2 p.m. CT
E.A. Diddle Arena | Bowling Green, Ky.
Game Links: ESPN+ | 100.7-FM (WKLX)/Varsity Network | Live Stats
Series History
Saturday will mark the 12th meeting between WKU and New Mexico State in a series dating back to 1956, with the Tops holding a 9-2 all-time advantage facing the Aggies. WKU fell to NM State by a narrow margin, 72-70, on the road in Las Cruces earlier this year. The Hilltoppers led by as many as 23 points in the second half before surrendering the lead and falling short facing the Aggies.
Overall: 9-2, WKU
Series began: Dec. 10, 1956
H: 7-0 • A: 1-2 • N: 1-0
Last 5
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
01/18/24 Las Cruces, N.M. L, 70-72
The Game at a Glance
Hilltopper Basketball (18-7, 7-4) hosts New Mexico State on Saturday for its second outing of the season facing the Aggies. The Tops are currently riding a four-game winning streak including five out of the last six.
WKU enters the matchup coming off a home win against UTEP on Thursday, and a 2-0 road swing last week that saw victories over CUSA leader LA Tech and Jax State. The pair of wins marked the first time this season a CUSA team has secured back-to-back conference victories on the road.
The Tops currently chart a 11-1 overall record playing at home in Diddle Arena this season. NM State will be seeking its first road win of the season, currently holding an 0-11 record when playing on the road.
Junior guard Don McHenry currently stands as the second-leading scorer in CUSA at 16.3 PPG. McHenry earned a second CUSA Player of the Week nod on Monday following the Tops' pair of road victories last week. The native of Milwaukee charted a team-best 25 points off 11-for-18 shooting from the field with five rebounds, five assists and a steal in the Tops' win over UTEP on Thursday.
Where The Tops Stack Up
WKU currently holds a 7-4 mark in the CUSA standings and an 18-7 overall record. The Tops boast the top-scoring offense in the conference at 80.7 PPG and rank 37th in the nation in scoring. WKU has totaled 80 or more points in 13 games this season, and 90 or more points in six games.
The Hilltoppers rank first in the nation in adjusted tempo, currently averaging 75.5 possessions per 40 minutes. The Tops chart as the top rebounding team in CUSA and rank 21st nationally in rebounds with 40.12 per game. WKU is 20th in the nation in three-point percentage defense, limiting teams to a 29.7% mark from range, and 33rd in the nation in bench points per game (27.50).
In addition to McHenry leading the Hilltoppers in points and charting as the CUSA's second-leading scorer, the junior guard is also leading the team in total assists (68 total) and ranks 10th in CUSA with 2.7 per contest. McHenry currently holds the third-best field-goal percentage in CUSA with a .473% mark from the field and is connecting on .855% (71-of-83) of attempts at the charity stripe, good for second best in CUSA.
Starting all 25 outings for the Hilltoppers in 2023-24, McHenry leads the team in minutes with 27.7 per contest. McHenry has also notched 22 steals on the year, good for third best on the team.
Tyrone Marshall Jr. ranks seventh in the conference in blocks (28) and seventh in steals (39). Brandon Newman and Babacar Faye are currently tied for eighth in the conference in rebounding with 148 total for the year and 5.9 per game.
Tops' Promotions
Saturday will serve as Hilltopper Basketball's Senior Day, as the team will honor the 2024 Senior Class with a pregame ceremony beginning at 1:35 p.m. CT. Dontaie Allen, Brandon Newman and Rodney Howard will all be recognized in the ceremony.
Saturday will also serve as First Responders Day at Diddle Arena. First responders can purchase $5 tickets using the link HERE.
Red 'Tops' belt bags will be given out to the first 250 students in the doors on Saturday.
Big Red Rascals members will receive free admission with a membership card.
MORE INFO
Televised Tops
The Hilltoppers' game against New Mexico State will stream live on ESPN+ with Jeff Hem and Craig McCormick on the call. Fans can tune in live and listen on 100.7-FM (WKLX) or The Varsity Network mobile app as Jim Pickens and Randy Lee call the game on radio.
Social Tops
Follow the team on social media (@wkubasketball) for the latest news and updates on all things Hilltopper Basketball. Visit wkusports.com for more information.
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