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The Hilltoppers enter the game against the Aggies standing at 13-8 overall with an even 4-4 mark in Conference USA and coming off a 78-74 victory over league-leader UTEP on Thursday night. Khristian Lander posted a career-high 28 points to lead all scorers, shooting 11-for-15 from the field with a 4-of-6 mark from beyond the arc and a team-best three assists. Don McHenry added 20 points off the bench for WKU, marking the ninth time this season the senior guard has scored 20-or-more points. Tyrone Marshall Jr. led the effort on the boards, securing a game-high eight rebounds with four steals.
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NM State enters Saturday's game with a 12-9 overall record and tied for second in CUSA with a 5-3 mark in conference play. The Aggies posted a 61-57 road win over Middle Tennessee on Thursday, with graduate forward Robert Carpenter leading the Aggies in the scoring column with 16 points along with 7 rebounds and a team-high two blocks. Peter Filipovity led the team in rebounding with nine boards while charting 12 points and a game-best four steals and three assists.
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GAME INFO
WKU (13-8, 4-4 CUSA) vs. New Mexico State (12-9, 5-3 CUSA)
Saturday, Feb. 1 | 2 p.m. CT
E.A. Diddle Arena | Bowling Green, Ky.
Watch:Â ESPN+Â (Jonathan Matthes & Craig McCormick)
Listen: Hilltopper Sports Radio Network | 100.7-FM (WKLX)/Varsity Network (Randy Lee & Hal Schmitt)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats | StatBroadcast
Tickets: WKUTickets.com | 1-800-5-BIG RED
Game Notes:Â Media Center
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ABOUT THE TOPS
- WKU currently averages 76.9 points per game, good for fourth most in CUSA currently
- WKU is currently fourth in the nation in adjusted tempo with an average of 72.9 possessions per 40 minutes
- WKU ranks seventh in the nation in defensive rebounding with 28.86 per contest
- The Tops rank 34th in the nation in steals with 8.8 per contest and a total of 185 on the year
- WKU ranks 49th in the nation in FG% defense, limiting opponents to a .407% clip shooting from the field
- Don McHenry leads the Hilltoppers and ranks sixth in CUSA for scoring with 17.3 points per contest;Â McHenry's 35 steals (1.7/G) are fifth most in CUSA
- McHenry holds the conference's ninth-best FG% (min # attempts) at .394%
- McHenry touts the fourth-best free-throw percentage in CUSA with a .820% (82-of-100) mark from the stripe
- McHenry's 40 made three-pointers ranks 10th in CUSA
- Tyrone Marshall Jr. leads WKU and ranks third in CUSA in defensive rebounding with 119 (5.7/G) on the year, good for 77th most in the nation; the graduate forward also leads the team and charts eighth in the league in total rebounds with 137 (6.5/G) on the year
- Marshall Jr. charts second on the team and 17th in CUSA in total blocks with 18 on the year
- Leeroy Odiahi leads WKU and ranks 10th in CUSA in total blocks with 15 on the year
- Jalen Jackson leads the team and ranks 17th in CUSA in assists with a total of 44 (2.1/G) on the year
- Jackson's 30 steals are good for 12th most in CUSA
- WKU currently holds a tie for third place in CUSA with a 4-4 mark in league play
SERIES INFORMATION
Saturday will mark the 14th meeting between the programs with WKU holding an 11-2 all-time advantage over New Mexico State in a series dating back to 1956. The Hilltoppers posted a split with the Aggies in regular season play in 2023-24, falling on the road in Las Cruces, 72-70, on Jan. 18, then securing a 72-58 win at home in Diddle Arena on Feb. 17. The teams met a third time in the CUSA Championship Quarterfinal in Huntsville, Ala. on March 14, with the Tops posting an 89-69 victory over the Aggies to advance to the 2024 CUSA Tournament Semifinal. The teams met for the first time on Dec. 10, 1956, with the Hilltoppers posting a 95-74 win over the Aggies in Bowling Green.
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SCOUTING THE AGGIES
- Christian Cook leads the Aggies and ranks 10th in CUSA for scoring with an average of 14.1 points per contestÂ
- Cook holds the league's third-highest three-point shooting percentage (min # attempts) at .397%
- Peter Filipovity currently stands as the second-leading rebounder in CUSA with a total of 169 on the year and 8.5 per gameÂ
- Filipovity's 2.5 offensive boards per game are good for seventh most in the league
- Zawdie Jackson holds the fifth-highest free-throw mark in CUSA at .808% (59-of-73)
- Jackson averages the fifth-most assists per contest in CUSA at 3.7 with a total of 78 on the year
- Jackson's assist/turnover ratio of 2.5 stands as the third best in CUSA
- NM State has held opponents to the second-lowest point-total average in CUSA at 66.7 per contest
- The Aggies have limited opponents to .394% shooting from the field for the season, the lowest mark in CUSA
- NM State averages the second-most offensive boards in CUSA at 12.2 per gameÂ
AT THE GAME
Saturday will serve as Hilltopper Basketball's Black History Month Game and will feature a halftime performance from NPHC. Happy hour concessions deals will also be offered to fans at Saturday's game, with select 12 oz. beers, 16 oz. fountain drinks, hot dogs and popcorn all being sold for $3.
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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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