BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU finishes its seven-game homestand with two teams picked to finish higher than the Hilltoppers in the Conference USA Preseason Coaches Poll, beginning Thursday night at 7:00 (CT) against Charlotte.
WKU has won seven of its last nine games to improve to 8-5 on the season, and the Hilltoppers are averaging 91.3 points per game in the last three outings.
Charlotte, picked third in the preseason poll, comes into Thursday’s game with a 6-7 overall record and 0-1 mark in C-USA, but the 49ers have played the sixth-toughest schedule in the nation according to Collegiate Basketball News.
Charlotte senior guard Pierria Henry joined Hilltopper seniors George Fant and T.J. Price on the Preseason All- C-USA Team, and he is currently averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.
After Thursday’s game against Charlotte, WKU hosts No. 25 Old Dominion on Saturday at 4:30 PM (CT) to conclude its longest homestand since 1935.
GAME 14
WKU (8-5, 1-0 C-USA) vs. Charlotte (6-7, 0-1 C-USA)
January 8, 2015 | 7:00 PM (CT)
Bowling Green, Ky. | E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326)
QUICK SHOTS
– WKU leads the all-time series against Charlotte 13-8, including 9-1 at E.A. Diddle Arena, with all previous meetings coming from 1983-91 while the pair were Sun Belt Conference rivals.
– Saturday’s game against No. 25 Old Dominion will be WKU’s first matchup against a ranked conference team since 1993, and since that time WKU has spent 14 weeks in the Top 25.
– WKU and UTEP are the only schools in C-USA with players in the Top 5 in the league in both points per game and rebounds per game (T. Price, 1st, 17.5 ppg; Fant, 4th, 7.5 rpg).
– WKU ranks 32nd in the nation in three-point field goals per game (8.2) and 33rd in the nation in assists per game (15.8).
– Over the first seven games of the season WKU averaged 13.6 assists per game and assisted on 57.9 percent of its field goals, compared to 18.3 assists per game and on 65.1 percent of field goals in the last six.
– WKU has won 12 of its last 15 regular-season home games, and the Hilltoppers are 35-11 at E.A. Diddle Arena under head coach Ray Harper (.761).
– T.J. Price has had five-straight 20-point performances against NCAA Division I opponents.
– T.J. Price is averaging 21.3 points per game in the last seven contests, shooting 54.8 percent from the field (46-for-84) and 53.1 percent from three-point range (26-for-49).
– T.J. Price ranks 13th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.481), and George Fant ranks 24th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (3.5).
– T.J. Price has converted 58 of his last 68 free throw tries (.853) dating back to the end of last season.
– T.J. Price ranks seventh among active NCAA Division I players in career three-point field goals made (242), 31st in career points scored (1,463) and 63rd in career scoring average (13.8), and George Fant ranks 19th in career rebounds (723) and 60th in career points scored (1,327).
– Chris Harrison-Docks has made 26 of his last 29 free throw attempts (.897) going back to the end of last season, where he finished third in the nation among freshman from the charity stripe.
– Chris Harrison-Docks has hit multiple three-pointers in 25 of his 37 career games for WKU.
BROADCAST
– Listen: Hilltopper IMG Sports Network, TuneIn Radio (free) (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis)
– Watch: Fox College Sports, WKU PBS, WBNA (radio simulcast)
– Live Stats: WKUSports.com (free)
PROMOTIONS
– Mr. B’s Weekday Two-Pack: fans can get two tickets to the game and a small pizza for $25.00
TICKETS
– WKU Ticket Office: online at WKUSports.com, in person at E.A. Diddle Arena, via phone at 1-800-5-BIG Red or 745-5222 locally
How to Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKUBasketball on Twitter and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUBasketball.
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