GAME INFO
- Liberty (15-3, 7-0 CUSA) at WKU (11-7, 4-3 CUSA)
- Wednesday, Jan. 21 | 6:30 p.m. CT | E.A. Diddle Arena | Bowling Green, Ky.
- Watch: ESPN+ (PxP: Tyler Eaton | Analyst: Jay Walton)
- Listen: The Varsity Network (PxP: Randy Lee | Analyst: Hal Schmitt)
- Live Stats: Sidearm | StatBroadcast
- Social: @WKUBasketball | @WKUSports
- Game Notes: WKU | Liberty
AT THE GAME
- Purchase tickets to Wednesday's game against Liberty HERE.
- The ticket booths at E.A. Diddle Arena will be open prior to doors opening. Doors will open 90 minutes prior to tipoff for the public.
- Wednesday is Fan Appreciation Night — we're celebrating you! Don't forget to enter our raffles for chances to win prizes throughout the game, with a grand prize announced at the women's game the following night.
- Wednesday's game will be WKU's annual Black Out game. The Hilltoppers will be wearing all black uniforms, and WKU fans are encouraged to wear black to Diddle Arena.
- Schedule cards, posters and roster cards will be available at the marketing table near the entrance while supplies last.
- WKU Athletics offers a kids corner in Diddle Arena, an area for kids to enjoy. This area includes bean bag tic-tac-toe, inflatable axe throwing and more. The kids corner is located on the upstairs concourse by the concessions stand.
- After the game, stick around for postgame fist bumps from the WKU Hilltopper Basketball team and listen to the live postgame interview with Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona.
- The full 2025-26 WKU Hilltopper Basketball promotional schedule can be found HERE.
- Want to make your gameday special? Check out our Hilltopper Highlights premium fan experiences for basketball season, including videoboard messages, Big Red visits, fan tunnels and more! Check out our Hilltopper Highlights HERE. Purchase WKU Hilltopper Basketball experiences HERE.
- For the full WKU Basketball Gameday Information page, click HERE.
- For the full WKU Basketball Winter Sports Yearbook, click HERE.
ABOUT THE TOPS
- WKU Hilltopper Basketball dropped an 81-65 decision to Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon inside E.A. Diddle Arena. After going into halftime down 43-34, the Hilltoppers surged out of halftime with an 11-0 run to briefly grab a 44-43 lead before the Owls answered and took control down the stretch. Ryan Myers led WKU with 16 points, including four 3-pointers, while Hackman added 13 off the bench and Grant Newell chipped in 11 as the Tops fell to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in Conference USA play. WKU held edges in second-chance points, fast-break points and bench scoring in the contest.
- Through 18 games, WKU has established itself as one of the nation's premier free throw teams, tying for 13th nationally with 19.7 made free throws on 26.8 attempts per game. The Hilltoppers have earned at least 21 attempts in every contest, including three games with 30 or more against Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State and Vanderbilt, plus a season-high 41 attempts against Bethel (Tenn.). They've converted at least 17 free throws in 14 of 18 outings, highlighted by a season-best 31 makes against Bethel — their most in a game since knocking down 36 against Tennessee State on Dec. 1, 2018.
- WKU is among the top rebounding teams in the country, ranking 17th nationally with 41.9 rebounds per game and seventh nationally with 14.7 offensive boards per outing. The Hilltoppers have topped 40 rebounds in 13 of 18 contests this season, including six of seven CUSA games. Through seven league games, WKU paces CUSA with 41.7 total rebounds and 16.7 offensive rebounds per game.
- Depth has been a major strength for WKU this season, with the Hilltoppers averaging 34.1 bench points per game to tie for 22nd nationally and rank first in CUSA. The WKU reserves have delivered a consistent scoring spark, topping 40 bench points five times, highlighted by 56 against Bethel, 54 against Evansville and 46 in both the Tennessee Tech and Campbellsville contests. The Hilltoppers have posted over 30 bench points in four consecutive outings, totaling 34 at New Mexico State, 37 at UTEP, 33 against Missouri State and 32 against Kennesaw State.
- Redshirt sophomore guard Teagan Moore has been a driving force behind WKU's 11-7 start, leading the Hilltoppers with 17.1 points and adding 6.0 rebounds per game. He has scored in double figures in 15 of 18 contests, reaching 15 or more points in 14 of those games. Moore has produced six outings of 20 points or more, including last Wednesday night when he led WKU with 20 points in the win over Missouri State, going 6-of-9 from the field while shooting a perfect 8-of-8 at the line. He scored sixteen of his 20 points in the second half while chipping in five rebounds and two steals. The Dry Ridge, Kentucky, native currently ranks sixth in CUSA in scoring after missing all of last season due to injury.
- Freshman guard Armelo Boone has emerged as one of the league's top newcomers, earning a conference-best four CUSA Freshman of the Week honors this season. After totaling just eight points across games against Evansville and Marshall, Boone has responded with a strong nine-game stretch, averaging 12.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals. In that span, he has recorded double-doubles against Tulsa (16 points, 12 boards) and Sam Houston (16 points, 13 boards), becoming the first WKU freshman with multiple double-doubles in a season since Charles Bassey in 2018-19. Through 18 games, he is averaging 11.8 points, a team-best 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
QUOTABLE
- "Obviously, big week in front of us, like they all are. Got to move on past the disappointing end to the game on Saturday. Probably up until right when we took that lead and kind of had a positive stretch and some good momentum, but like this league can do, it humbles you down the stretch and obviously, some things came unglued for us. Some things we need to learn from and continue to get better. Looking forward to playing a very good Liberty team on Wednesday and then starting on the road for a few games." — Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona, on Wednesday's game against Liberty.
SERIES INFORMATION
- Wednesday's matchup will be just the fifth all-time meeting between WKU and Liberty. The programs have met twice in each of the past two seasons as Conference USA opponents.
- The series is tied 2-2. The teams split two meetings last year with each team winning on the road. The Hilltoppers won the first meeting 71-70 in Lynchburg, Virginia, and the Flames took the second meeting 90-61 in Bowling Green.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
- Liberty heads into Wednesday's game at 15-3 overall and 7-0 in Conference USA, coming off an 80-69 home win over UTEP on Jan. 17. The Flames are the only unbeaten team remaining in CUSA play.
- Liberty is led by head coach Ritchie McKay, who is in his 13th season at the helm and 24th season as a head coach. He holds a 287-137 overall record with the Flames.
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.
