GAME INFO
- WKU (2-0) at Tennessee Tech (1-1)
- Sunday, Nov. 8 | 2 p.m. CT | Hooper Eblen Center | Cookeville, Tenn.
- Watch: ESPN+ (PxP: Jacob Vinson | Analyst: Michael Dodgen)
- Listen: BG 100.7 FM/The Varsity Network (PxP: Randy Lee | Analyst: Hal Schmitt)
- Live Stats: StatBroadcast
- Social: @WKUBasketball | @WKUSports
- Game Notes: WKU | Tennessee Tech
ABOUT THE TOPS
- LAST TIME OUT: WKU moved to 2-0 with an 82-48 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan, improving to 29-9 all-time against the Panthers. Teagan Moore paced the Hilltoppers with 26 points, while Emondrek Erkins-Ford and Gabe Weis added 11 apiece. WKU carried a 38-14 lead into halftime and stretched its advantage to as many as 34 points. The Hilltoppers collected 17 steals and converted 20 Kentucky Wesleyan turnovers into 25 points.
- DOMINANT DEFENSE: WKU has held opponents to 34.3% shooting through its first two games, limiting Morehead State to 58 points and Kentucky Wesleyan to 48. It marks the first time the Hilltoppers have held consecutive opponents below 60 points since the 2021-22 season, when they limited Ole Miss to 48 points on Dec. 11, 2021, and Centre College to 52 points on Dec. 14, 2021.
- TURNING UP THE PRESSURE: WKU has collected 28 steals through its first two games, its most over a two-game span since recording 36 against South Carolina (17) on Nov. 14, 2021, and at Memphis (19) on Nov. 19, 2021. The Hilltoppers followed an 11-steal performance against Morehead State with 17 against Kentucky Wesleyan and have converted 33 opponent turnovers into 41 points.
- TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK: WKU recorded 19 assists against just nine turnovers in the win over Kentucky Wesleyan, improving to 26-2 under Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona when dishing out at least 14 assists. Through two games, the Hilltoppers have totaled 36 assists against 15 turnovers. Sharron Young leads the way with 11 assists and just one turnover, ranking fifth nationally with an 11.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- MOORE IN STORE: Teagan Moore has led WKU in scoring in both games this season, averaging 21.5 points on 56.7% shooting in just 20.9 minutes per game. After opening with 17 points against Morehead State, the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year scored 26 against Kentucky Wesleyan, finishing two points shy of his career high. Moore set career highs with 11 field goals and 19 field goal attempts against the Panthers while adding a career-high five steals.
- WELCOME, WEIS: Gabe Weis is the first WKU freshman to score in double figures in each of his first two collegiate games since Charles Bassey in 2018-19. Weis followed his 14-point debut against Morehead State with 11 points and five rebounds against Kentucky Wesleyan. His 25 combined points are the most by a Hilltopper freshman in his first two games since Bassey totaled 26 to open the 2018-19 season. Weis is averaging 12.5 points in 15.6 minutes off the bench while shooting 57.1% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point range.
- INSIDE PRESENCE: Emondrek Erkins-Ford, Moussa Konare and Joseph Adebayo combined for 21 points and 16 rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting against Kentucky Wesleyan, collecting 10 of WKU's 21 offensive boards and blocking four shots. Erkins-Ford led the trio with 11 points and six rebounds, while Konare added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. Adebayo contributed two points and two rebounds in six minutes off the bench. Konare's performance followed an eight-point, five-rebound effort against Morehead State in his Division I debut. Through two games, he is averaging 8.0 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 70.0% from the field.
QUOTABLES
- "Their pressure is their focus. They play full court, 94 feet, for the entire game. Depth helps you in theory because if you can play eight, nine, 10, 11, 12 guys, you stay fresher versus that. At the same time, you've got to be able to handle the ball. So, you've got to put spacing and ball handlers in the right spot, and it can kind of mentally and physically wear on you. Hopefully the depth is something that helps us. I think we've handled each situation we've been in pretty well. When we scrimmaged Arkansas State closed, that was, I think, 104-93. So, a very high-scoring type game. I think Tennessee Tech has some of the same coaching history, background, base. They both do a lot of the Alabama stuff on offense. The defensive side, it will be intense. I would think when teams play at home, they usually let loose a little bit more with the pressure, too. So, I would think hopefully that depth can help us, but a key would be just not getting sped up where we turn the ball over. Obviously, the point of the pressure is to mentally and physically wear you down over the course of the game, and it'd be good if we can impose our will on them and we don't let them impose their will on us." — Mahurin Family Foundation Head Coach Hank Plona, on Tennessee Tech's full court pressure.
- "Coach holds us to a pretty high standard, so it doesn't matter who we're playing. We could be playing Indiana or we could be playing Kentucky Wesleyan. We still got to have the same juice, the same energy, the same togetherness, and we still got to execute and play our way. And we did that pretty good in the first half, not so good in the second half. So, like I said, we're going to watch film, learn from it and get better and get prepared for Tennessee Tech." — G Teagan Moore, on maintaining the same standard regardless of the opponent.
SERIES INFORMATION
- Sunday's game marks the 105th meeting between WKU and Tennessee Tech. The Hilltoppers hold an 84-20 advantage in the all-time series, including a 33-14 mark on the road.
- WKU defeated Tennessee Tech 82-70 in last season's opener on Nov. 3, 2025, in Bowling Green.
- The Hilltoppers have won seven of the last eight meetings, including four straight.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
- Tennessee Tech enters Sunday's matchup at 1-1 after falling 106-88 at Mississippi State on Nov. 2 and defeating Blue Mountain 117-70 on Nov. 4.
- The Golden Eagles are led by Tobin Anderson, who is in his first season at Tennessee Tech and fourth season as a Division I head coach. He owns a 55-51 career record.
- Forward Caleb Sanders leads Tennessee Tech in scoring at 20.0 points per game while averaging 27.6 minutes per contest.
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.
