Hilltoppers Set to Face FIU in Miami

MIAMI – WKU men's basketball travels to Miami, Florida this weekend to face FIU on Saturday, March 2. Tipoff from Ocean Bank Convocation Center is slated for 5 p.m. CT with ESPN+ set to broadcast.

The Hilltoppers enter the matchup against the Panthers standing at 19-9 overall and 8-6 in Conference USA league play.

Game Info
WKU (19-9, 8-6) vs. FIU (9-19, 4-9)
Saturday, March 2 | 5 p.m. CT
Miami, Fla. | Ocean Bank Convocation Center
Game Links: ESPN+ | 100.7-FM (WKLX)/Varsity Network | Live Stats

The Game at a Glance
Hilltopper Basketball (19-9, 8-6) travels to Miami for its second matchup against FIU for the 2023-24 season. The Hilltoppers previously defeated the Panthers, 105-91, at home on Jan. 25. Saturday will mark the 50th all-time meeting between WKU and FIU in a series dating back to 1999. WKU holds a 38-11 advantage in the series and 14-7 record against the Panthers on the road.

The Tops enter the matchup against the Panthers having fallen short against LA Tech, 90-84, on Wednesday night to wrap home competition in 2023-24. FIU fell in its previous outing facing Jax State, 77-75, last Saturday night.

Saturday will feature two of the league's top performers in junior guard Don McHenry and FIU's sophomore guard Arturo Dean. McHenry currently charts as the third-leading scorer in CUSA with 15.8 point per game, while Dean stands at 12^thin the league in scoring with 13.2 points per game. McHenry holds the conference's second-best free throw percentage with a .859% mark from the stripe, and the third-best mark shooting from the field at .470%. Dean leads the country in steals with a total of 92 on the year.

A win would give WKU a 20th victory on the season for the 48th time in the program's history - a mark only six other programs in the nation have achieved.

Series History vs. FIU
Overall: 38-11
H: 19-4 • A: 14-7 • N: 5-0

LAST 5
01/25/24          Bowling Green, Ky.               …W, 105-91
01/26/23          Miami, Fla.                             …L, 69-78
01/14/23          Bowling Green, Ky.               …W, 70-59
01/22/22          Miami, Fla.                             …L, 83-86
01/08/22          Bowling Green, Ky.               …W, 84-71

Where The Tops Stack Up
→ 8-6 in CUSA standings; 19-9 record overall
→ The Tops boast the top-scoring offense in CUSA (80.2 PPG) and chart 42^nd in the nation in scoring
→ WKU ranks first in the nation in adjusted tempo (75.4 possessions per 40 min)
→ WKU has totaled 80 or more points in 14 games this season, and 90 or more points in six games
→ Top rebounding team in CUSA; 19^th nationally in rebounds with 40.04 per game
→ 29^th in the nation in three-point percentage defense, limiting teams to a 30.6% mark from range
→ 26^th in the nation in bench points per game (28.07)

Top Tops
McHenry leads the Hilltoppers in points and charts as the CUSA's third-leading scorer, while also leading the team and ranking 12th in the conference in total assists (72). McHenry currently holds the third-best field-goal percentage in CUSA with a .470% mark from the field and is connecting on .859% (73-of-85) of attempts at the charity stripe, good for second best in CUSA.

Starting all 28 outings for the Hilltoppers in 2023-24, McHenry leads the team in minutes at 27.4 per contest. McHenry has also notched 23 steals on the year, good for third best on the team.

Tyrone Marshall Jr. ranks eighth in the conference in both blocks (29) and steals (43). Babacar Faye and Brandon Newman rank ninth and 11^th in the conference for rebounding respectively.

Televised Tops
The Hilltoppers' game against FIU will stream live on ESPN+ with AJ Ricketts and Jacob Ridenhour 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.

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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Babacar Faye

Tyrone Marshall Jr.

Don McHenry

Brandon Newman