PIKEVILLE, Ky. — After a pair of regular-season wins on Friday and Saturday, the No. 2 University of Pikeville men’s basketball team jumps back into NCAA Div. I exhibition play one more time against Western Kentucky at 8 p.m. ET on Monday night at E.A. Diddle Arena.
There is a live stream available on a pay-per-view basis through WKUSports.tv, while a local radio call from Z107.5 FM is available on the air or online and live stats can be viewed through WKU’s gametracker.
WKU finished the 2013-14 campaign with a 20-12 record and a 12-6 mark in Sun Belt Conference play, and the Hilltoppers begin their inaugural campaign in Conference USA in 2014-15. The top four leading scorers from last year’s team return, including T.J. Price at 15.5 points per contest. Also returning is George Fant at 13.3 ppg, Trency Jackson at 10.2 and Chris Harrison-Docks and his 9.9 ppg.
The Hilltoppers are coached by Ray Harper who has put together a 51-36 record in three years at the school. Harper is no stranger to high-level NAIA basketball after leading Oklahoma City to the 2007 and 2008 NAIA National Championships during his tenure as the Stars’ head coach.
While UPIKE is 0-2 so far in exhibition games, losing 116-68 at Kentucky and 80-62 at Tennessee, it has had major success in regular-season play. So far the Bears (3-0) have scored at least 100 points in all three of their wins, including a 124-77 rout of Alice Lloyd on Saturday when K.K. Simmons caught fire for seven 3-pointers.
The Bears are averaging 108.3 points per game while allowing just 69 for a winning margin of +39.3 points. Simmons is the leading scorer at 21 ppg, while Kenny Manigault is chipping in with 17 points and a team-best 7.7 rebounds per contest.
Western Kentucky will be on high alert for this one as it is 50-4 all time in exhibitions, including wins in its last 18 tries following a loss to the Harlem Globetrotters in 2002.
Following the matchup with the Hilltoppers, UPIKE goes straight into Mid-South Conference play, hosting Shawnee State (Ohio) at 8 p.m. on Thursday and No. 8 Georgetown at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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