GAME INFO
- WKU (9-5, 2-1 CUSA) at New Mexico State (8-5, 1-2 CUSA)
- Thursday, Jan. 8 | 8:00 p.m. CT | Pan American Center | Las Cruces, N.M.
- Watch: ESPN+ (PxP: Adam Young | Analyst: Russ Bradbury)
- Listen: The Varsity Network (PxP: Randy Lee | Analyst: Hal Schmitt)
- Live Stats: StatBroadcast
- Social: @WKUBasketball | @WKUSports
- Game Notes: WKU | New Mexico State
ABOUT THE TOPS
- WKU Hilltopper Basketball used a balanced attack to edge Louisiana Tech 66-61 in its third Conference USA game of the season on Sunday afternoon at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers built an early double-digit lead and fended off a second-half Bulldog rally to move to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in league play. Teagan Moore led the way with 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists while Ryan Myers and Grant Newell added 13 and 12 points, respectively. WKU held Louisiana Tech scoreless over the final minute and closed on a 6-0 run — highlighted by key free throws from Myers and LJ Hackman — to secure the five-point victory and improve to 2-0 at home in conference play.
- Through 14 games, WKU has established itself as one of the nation's premier free throw teams, ranking ninth nationally with 20.4 made free throws per game and 11th with 27.5 attempts. 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 12 of 14 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 has asserted itself as one of the premier rebounding teams in the country, ranking 14th nationally with 42.6 rebounds per game and seventh with 14.6 offensive boards. The Hilltoppers have surpassed 40 rebounds in 10 of 14 games, including a season-high 49 boards against Campbellsville and Sam Houston. Through three conference games, WKU leads the league with 44.7 rebounds per game while ranking second in CUSA with 19.0 offensive rebounds per contest.
- Redshirt sophomore guard Teagan Moore has been a driving force behind WKU's 9-5 start, pacing the Hilltoppers with 18.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while reaching double figures in 13 of 14 contests. He delivered a career outing in Friday's win over Sam Houston, pouring in a career-high 28 points and knocking down a personal-best three 3-pointers. Moore went 9-of-18 from the field and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc — matching career highs in both makes and attempts — while adding a 7-of-10 effort at the stripe, six rebounds, three assists and a steal in 35 minutes for his fifth 20-point performance of the season. The Dry Ridge, Kentucky, native ranks second in CUSA in scoring after missing all of last season due to injury.
- Freshman guard Armelo Boone has earned a league-high four CUSA Freshman of the Week selections this season. After combining for just eight points in two games against Evansville and Marshall, Boone has bounced back in a big way, averaging 14.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals over the last five games against Campbellsville, Tulsa, Jax State, Sam Houston and Louisiana Tech. He's shot 42.4% (28-of-66) from the field and 75.0% (12-of-16) at the free throw line during that stretch. In that span, he's posted a pair of double-doubles against Tulsa (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Sam Houston (16 points, 13 rebounds), becoming the first WKU freshman to record multiple double-doubles in a season since Charles Bassey in 2018-19. Through 14 games this season, he's averaging 12.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 41.3% from the field and 73.2% at the line.
- Graduate guard Ryan Myers has emerged as a reliable scoring option for WKU over the past month. Across the last nine games, he's averaging 13.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.2 minutes per contest while shooting 42.5% (37-of-87) from the field and an impressive 51.7% (30-of-58) from 3-point range. That marks a major leap from his first five outings, when he averaged 4.8 points on 24.0% shooting and 16.7% from beyond the arc in 17.8 minutes per game. Myers delivered a breakout performance against Evansville with 27 points off the bench — one shy of his career-high — matching his career-best with seven made 3-pointers while going 9-of-16 from the field in a season-high 31 minutes. He played a big role in WKU's 2-0 weekend against Sam Houston and Louisiana Tech, posting 15.5 points on 42.9% (9-of-21) shooting, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game.
- Senior forward Grant Newell has provided a steady two-way presence for WKU in the frontcourt, averaging 11.6 points and 4.1 rebounds while starting all 14 games this season. Newell has scored in double figures nine times, highlighted by a career-high 28-point performance against Tulsa in which he went 8-of-15 from the field and 6-of-8 from 3-point range.
QUOTABLE
- "Obviously, happy to get two home wins over the weekend. In our league, anybody can beat anybody. I think we've learned that year after year after year. So, it's good to beat Sam Houston and Louisiana Tech at home and now it's our turn to prove that we can figure out how to get a road win or two. So, at New Mexico State Thursday night, at UTEP Saturday. It's an important stretch for us and we could come out of it feeling really good if we were able to prove that we can take our act on the road and get a win or two. So, going to prepare today, leave tomorrow and obviously get ready for New Mexico State on Thursday night." — Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona, on the two-game road swing against New Mexico State and UTEP.
SERIES INFORMATION
- Thursday will mark the 16th meeting all-time between WKU and New Mexico State. The Hilltoppers lead the series, 12-3.
- The programs split two meetings last season with both teams winning at home. WKU won the first meeting in Bowling Green, 101-69, while the Aggies took the game in Las Cruces, 65-47. The Hilltoppers own a 3-2 record against New Mexico State in the last two seasons.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
- New Mexico State enters Thursday's game with an 8-5 overall record and a 1-2 mark in Conference USA play after an 89-74 loss at FIU on Jan. 2 and an 89-82 loss at Missouri State on Jan. 4. The Aggies won their first game of CUSA play, 87-78, at home against Sam Houston.
- New Mexico State is led by head coach Jason Hooten, who is in his third season at the helm. He owns a 38-39 overall record with the Aggies and a 299-208 career record in 16 seasons.
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.
