The Tops' leading scorer for the 2024-25 season, McHenry finished the regular season charting as the fifth-leading scorer in CUSA with 17.2 points per contest. The Milwaukee native holds the league's third-highest free-throw percentage at .830% (112-of-135) and has accumulated the 11th-most three pointers in the conference with 64 on the year. McHenry's 45 steals is also good for ninth most in the league. McHenry has posted double figures scoring in 15 consecutive outings and in 27-of-31 games this season while accounting for 20-plus points in 13 total contests for the year.
The Tops' leader in minutes for the season, McHenry earned two CUSA Player of the Week nods in 2024-25. The senior guard helped WKU to a pair of victories over historic rival Murray State and Tennessee State to garner the award on Dec. 16, then secured a second nod on Feb. 3 following a 2-0 week in league play that included wins over then-league leader UTEP and New Mexico State. McHenry posted a 29-point performance in the 81-76 overtime win over rival Murray State on Dec. 14, shooting 4-of-10 from beyond the arc and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe while adding five rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes of action and nailing a go-ahead step-back three to reclaim a two-point lead for the Tops with just 38 seconds remaining in overtime. McHenry then connected on a pair of shots at the charity stripe to give WKU a four-point cushion with 15 seconds remaining in the overtime period.Â
McHenry matched a career high with a 30-point effort on the road at Kennesaw State on Feb. 6. McHenry's 27 points facing NM State on Feb. 1 included a .727% (8-for-11) clip from the field with a career-best seven three-pointers off 7-of-9 (.778%) shooting from range and a 4-of-4 mark at the charity stripe. McHenry added four assists and two rebounds in the win over the Aggies, helping the Tops to a third-straight win in CUSA play.
McHenry earns All-CUSA recognition for the second straight season following the second-team selection.
Thedford was named to the conference's All-Freshman Team after finishing the season with the third-highest scoring average on the team at 12.4 points per contest, 16th most in CUSA. Thedford posted double-figure point totals in 13 games with 18 appearances and six starts before missing time for the remainder of the season with an injury. The freshman from Memphis charted the fourth-highest three-point shooting percentage on the team at .366% (30-of-82) and the fifth most blocks with 6 total for the season.
Thedford earned CUSA Freshman of the Week honors twice on the year, finishing with a career-high 19 points on 6-of-8 (.750%) shooting from the field and a 4-of-5 (.800%) clip from range with three rebounds, one assist and a steal in a 90-82 win over Marshall on Nov. 30, followed by 18 points and a 7-of-10 free-throw mark on the road at No. 8 Kentucky on Nov. 26 to highlight a 2-0 week for the Tops and the freshman's first FOTW award nod.Â
Thedford earned the award for a second time on Dec. 23 after helping WKU to another unbeaten 2-0 week with wins over Seattle on Dec. 17 and Kentucky Wesleyan on Dec. 21. The freshman guard posted 17 points with six rebounds, two assists and a block in the 91-71 victory over KWC, and 15 points on a 4-of-8 (.500%) shooting clip in the 86-73 win over Seattle. Thedford finished with back-to-back 18-point outings in the Tops' opening week of CUSA competition, helping lead WKU to a 71-70 victory over Liberty on the road in Lynchburg entering league play.
Marshall Jr. and Lander receive All-CUSA honorable mention after helping anchor the Hilltoppers' offensive and defensive production in 2024-25. Marshall has appeared in all 31 games for the Tops, making 28 starts and averaging the second-most minutes per contest on the team. Marshall Jr. leads the team and charts seventh in CUSA in rebounding with 6.6 per contest and 204 total for the season. The Nashville native also stands at third in the league in defensive rebounding with 172 total and 5.5 per contest, good for 78th most in the nation, and ranks second on the team in both blocks and steals with 19 and 37 respectively.
Marshall Jr. posted a career-high 24 points in the Tops' 101-69 victory over CUSA opponent New Mexico State on Feb. 1, shooting at a .714% (10-of-14) clip from the field with a 4-of-7 mark from range along with seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Marshall Jr. also posted a 22-point, seven-rebound performance on the road at Jax State on Feb. 8. The Hilltopper forward finished the regular season with double-digit point totals in 16 total contests and six-or-more rebounds in 14 total contests.
Appearing in 27 contests with 15 starts for the year, Lander finished the regular season as the Tops' second-leading active scorer at 12.1 points per game, 18th most in CUSA. The graduate guard holds the second most made threes on the Tops' roster with 48 total for the season, and the second-highest free-throw percentage among active players on the team at .794% (50-of-63). Lander charts fourth on the team in rebounding, steals and assists, averaging 3.7 boards per contest with 99 total for the year, grabbing a total of 31 steals and dishing out 49 total assists.
Lander posted double figures scoring in nine of the Tops' final 11 regular season outings, highlighted by a career-high 30 points on 9-of-13 (.692%) shooting from the field with a 6-of-9 (.677%) clip from beyond the arc and a perfect 6-of-6 mark at the charity stripe on the road at conference opponent Jax State on Feb. 8. The Evansville native charted 28 points on a 11-of-15 (.733%) clip from the field with a 4-of-6 (.667%) mark from range in the Tops' win at home over UTEP on Jan. 30, then finished with a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double in the team's win over UTEP on the road in El Paso on Feb. 27. Lander wrapped regular-season play totaling 17 contests with double-digit point totals for the season.
WKU (17-14, 8-10 CUSA) opens CUSA Championship play as the No. 7 seed in the tournament and will face No. 10 seed FIU on Tuesday, March 11 at 8 p.m. CT. Tournament coverage will stream live from VBC Propst Arena in Hunstville, Ala. on ESPN+.
The full bracket of tournament games can be found here. Visit ConferenceUSA.com/RocketCityHoops for more information on the 2025 CUSA Men's Basketball Championship.
Follow Hilltopper Basketball on social media (@wkubasketball) and visit wkusports.com for the latest news and updates on the team as WKU enters its postseason campaign.
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