PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — WKU Hilltopper Basketball concludes play at Battle 4 Atlantis against Wichita State on Friday, Nov. 28 inside Imperial Arena at 6 p.m. CT. The game will air nationally on ESPNU.
GAME INFO
- Wichita State (4-3) vs. WKU (4-2)
- Friday, Nov. 28 | 6:00 p.m. CT | Imperial Arena | Paradise Island, Bahamas
- Watch:Â ESPNUÂ (PxP: Kevin Brown | Analyst: Corey Alexander)
- Listen: The Varsity Network (PxP: Randy Lee | Analyst: Hal Schmitt)
- Live Stats:Â StatBroadcast
- Social: @WKUBasketball | @WKUSports
- Game Notes:Â WKUÂ |Â Wichita State
ABOUTÂ THE TOPS
- WKU dropped to 4-2 on the season after falling to South Florida, 97-91, in overtime on day two of Battle 4 Atlantis. The Hilltoppers led by as many as 17 in the first half and held an 84-77 advantage in the final minute of regulation before the Bulls forced overtime with a 7-0 run. Teagan Moore led WKU with a career-high 27 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Ryan Myers added 14 points and Armelo Boone scored 13.
- Heading into Battle 4 Atlantis, WKU had been one of the most aggressive teams in the country at getting to the foul line, tying for third nationally with 34.0 free throw attempts per game and 25.0 free throws made per game. The Hilltoppers have attempted at least 28 free throws in every game, hitting 23 or more in four of five outings. Their 31-of-41 performance against Bethel marked the program's most free throws made and attempted in a game since going 36-of-45 in an 88-74 win over Tennessee State on Dec. 1, 2018.
- Defensively, WKU has been among the nation's most disruptive units, ranking 22nd nationally with 11.0 steals per game. The Hilltopper backcourt is anchored by freshman guard Armelo Boone and junior guard LJ Hackman, who both ranked in the top five in Conference USA in total steals before Battle 4 Atlantis, with Boone tied for the league lead at 12 and Hackman fourth with 10.
- Prior to Battle 4 Atlantis, WKU stood among the national leaders in taking care of the ball, ranking 18th with just 9.0 turnovers per game and 11th in turnover margin at plus-7.2. The Hilltoppers had won the turnover battle in all four games prior to coming to The Bahamas, posting advantages of 19-11 against Tennessee Tech, 14-3 at Eastern Kentucky, 14-9 versus Tennessee State and 18-13 against Bethel.
- Moore has been a major catalyst in WKU's 4-2 start, averaging a team-best 20.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He has scored at least 15 points in every outing and posted a career-high 27 points against South Florida on day two of Battle 4 Atlantis. WKU owns a plus-61 margin with him on the floor. Moore missed all of last season due to injury following a Conference USA All-Freshman Team campaign in 2023-24.
- Ahead of Battle 4 Atlantis, Boone earned Conference USA Freshman of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks, helping WKU to a 4-0 start with 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting, four steals, three rebounds and an assist in 15 impactful minutes off the bench against Bethel. The Hilltoppers were plus-9 with him on the court. For the season, he is averaging 11.0 points on 42.0% shooting along with 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game, totaling 12 steals and recording at least three steals in three of five contests. His four-steal performance in the season opener against Tennessee Tech made him the first WKU freshman with four or more steals in a collegiate debut.
- Senior forward Grant Newell has been a consistent scoring option for the Hilltoppers, averaging 10.7 points on 43.2% shooting. He is 19-of-44 from the field and is 19-of-25 (76.0%) at the free throw line.
QUOTABLE
- "Obviously, at the very, very end there, a very tough defeat for our basketball team. We battled and fought and there was adversity, ups and downs. I thought we did a pretty good job out of the four-minute timeout in regulation, getting that seven-point lead, but obviously, there are some things that we have to figure out and do better to close a game. Definitely stings that we felt like we had it in our grasps. We were probably in the lead for most of the game and we weren't able to close it out. Those never feel too good. Obviously, a very good opponent. Very highly contested and fought basketball game by both teams. I thought there were a lot of coaches and players that gave it their all to win and they were able to stay together and execute a little bit more in those last six to seven minutes of the game than we were. A great win for them and definitely a very tough defeat for us." — Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona, on the loss to South Florida.
SERIES INFORMATION
- Friday will mark the eighth meeting between WKU and Wichita State. The teams met in 2023 and 2024 with both games going in favor of the Shockers.
- Wichita State leads the all-time series, 4-3. The Hilltoppers last win over the Shockers came in 1958. WKU won the contest 96-85 in Wichita, Kansas.Â
SCOUTING THE SHOCKERS
- Wichita State enters Friday's game with a 4-3 overall record. The Shockers dropped their first two games of Battle 4 Atlantis, losing to Saint Mary's, 70-65, and Colorado State, 76-70.
- Wichita State is led by Paul Mills, who is in his third year as the coach of the Shockers and ninth season overall as a head coach. He owns a 144-121 career record.
How to follow WKU Hilltopper Basketball: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKUBasketball on Instagram and X.
