GAME INFO
- WKU (2-3) at Illinois (4-1)
- Wednesday, Nov. 26 | 6 PM (CT) | Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center
- Watch: BIG+
- Listen: ESPN 102.7 in Bowling Green or Varsity Network
IMPORTANT LINKS
WKU GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | VARSITY NETWORK | WKU MEDIA CENTER
ABOUT THE TOPS
- Through five games, Salma Khedr is the leading scorer for WKU, averaging 10.6 points per game. Jeniffer Silva is second, putting up 10.4 points per game. Silva is also leading the Lady Toppers on the boards, pulling down 5.8 rebounds per game. Tia Shelling is second, averaging 5.4 rebounds per game. Shelling is second in Conference USA in assists per game, averaging 4.0 per game.
- The Lady Toppers are 2-3 this season, opening the season with an 81-33 win against Kentucky State before dropping a road game to Longwood. WKU bounced back with a comeback win against Wichita State in overtime in Diddle Arena before falling to Indiana State and Vanderbilt to close out a three-game homestand.
- WKU returns eight from the 2024-25 roster in Zsofia Telegdy, Torri James, Tia Shelling, Caleigh-Rose West, Mya Pratcher, Tatum Boettjer, Yendri Acosta and Salma Khedr. Telegdy is the only returning starter from a season ago. Boettjer made her Lady Topper debut after sitting out the 2024-25 season due to injury.
- The Lady Toppers welcomed six newcomers this season, including transfers Trinity Rowe, Jeniffer Silva and Tobi Ademuwagun and incoming freshmen Lola Bond, Elif Naz Dal and Enni Ahervuo. Rowe was the 2025 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year at Southern Miss last year.
- The 2025-26 roster is a veteran one with six seniors or fifth years. While the roster is an older one, no player has been at WKU longer than two seasons.
- WKU has international flavor once again with six international players. That is the most on a Lady Topper team all time, topping last season's five international players.
- The Lady Toppers were picked fifth in the Conference USA preseason poll behind Louisiana Tech, Liberty, Middle Tennessee and Missouri State. WKU has met or exceeded their placement in the CUSA preseason poll in seven of the last nine seasons.
- Trinity Rowe is the 15th Miss Kentucky Basketball to play at WKU all time and the first since Ivy Brown (2015-18). The fifteen Miss Kentucky Basketball winners that have suited up for the Lady Toppers are the most for any team in the country.
- Greg Collins is in his eighth season as head coach at WKU, which is the third longest tenure of any Lady Topper head coach all time.
SERIES INFORMATION
- Wednesday's game will be the fifth all-time meeting between WKU and Illinois all-time. The series is 2-2. The Lady Toppers won the first two games, and the Illini won the last two.
- This will be the first meeting since the two teams met in the WNIT on March 19, 2010, in Bowling Green. Illinois came away with a 68-51 win.
ABOUT THE ILLINI
- Illinois is 4-1 on the season with wins over SEMO, Illinois State, Murray State and Florida State and a loss to Oregon State.
- The Illini were a 2025 NCAA Tournament team, advancing to the second round with a win against Creighton before falling to Texas.
- Berry Wallace is the leading scorer for Illinois this season, averaging 21.0 points per game. The 6-foot-1 forward is also pulling down a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per game.
How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on Lady Topper Hoops, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on X, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram, @WKU.WBB on Tik Tok and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
