BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — With only three home games remaining in the 2014-15 regular season, WKU (16-6, 9-1 C-USA) welcomes Rice to E.A. Diddle Arena for the first time ever Saturday night at 7:00 (CT).
WKU saw a 17-point lead evaporate Thursday night against North Texas, but the Hilltoppers scored the final 11 points of the game to pick up their 11th win in the last 12 games and take over sole possession of first place in Conference USA.
WKU and Rice are playing for the second time in history and first time as C-USA foes, and the Owls return three starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s squad that went 7-23 and 2-14 in league play. Rice is coached by former VCU assistant coach Mike Rhoades, who is in his first season at the helm of the Owls.
Following Saturday’s game against Rice, WKU closes the regular season with five of the last seven games on the road, starting next Saturday evening at Marshall.
At halftime of Saturday’s game, WKU will honor the 35th anniversary of its 1979-80 team, which went 21-8 and won the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles to advance to the NCAA Tournament under head coach Gene Keady.
GAME 23
WKU (16-6, 9-1 C-USA) vs. Rice (6-15, 3-6 C-USA)
February 7, 2015 | 7:00 PM (CT)
Bowling Green, Ky. | E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326)
QUICK SHOTS
– WKU is 21-7 in conference play over the last two seasons after going 25-27 in the three seasons prior.
– WKU has won 17 of its last 20 regular-season home games, and the Hilltoppers are 40-11 at E.A. Diddle Arena under head coach Ray Harper (.784).
– Including Thursday’s second half with just one turnover, WKU has had six halves with three or fewer turnovers this season and is 6-0 in those cases (3, 1st, at Ole Miss; 0, 2nd, Charlotte; 1, 2nd, Old Dominion; 3, 2nd, at Florida Atlantic; 2, 1st, UTSA; 1, 2nd, North Texas).
– All six of WKU’s losses this season have come when committing more turnovers than the opponent.
– WKU leads C-USA and ranks 51st in the nation in assists per game (14.8), and the Hilltoppers lead C-USA and are tied for 25th in the nation in rebounding (38.7).
– The Hilltoppers are averaging 11.5 turnovers per conference game, compared to 14.4 in its 12 non-conference outings.
– George Fant is 19 rebounds shy of tying Kannard Johnson (1984-87) for 10th all-time in career rebounds at WKU with 840.
– George Fant has scored in double figures in 12-straight games.
– T.J. Price has hit multiple three-pointers in 10 of the last 11 games.
– T.J. Price’s scoring average of 17.7 points per game would be the most by a Hilltopper at the end of the season since Courtney Lee averaged 20.4 as a senior in 2007-08, and George Fant’s rebounding average of 8.9 per game would be the most since Juan Pattillo had 9.1 as a senior in 2010-11.
– T.J. Price has had five games of at least 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists this season.
– Ben Lawson has blocked at least three shots in seven games this season including four of the last six outings, and his block total of 37 through 22 games is already more than last year’s leader (George Fant, 27) and two shy of equaling 2012-13’s leader (Fant, 39).
– T.J. Price leads C-USA and is tied for 16th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.445), and George Fant leads the league and is tied for 13th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (3.7).
– Chris Harrison-Docks has made 47 of his last 58 free throw attempts (.810) going back to the end of last season, where he finished third in the nation among freshman from the charity stripe.
– T.J. Price ranks ninth among active NCAA Division I players in career three-point field goals made (266), 27th in career points scored (1,626) and 73rd in career scoring average (14.1), and George Fant ranks 16th in career rebounds (821) and 55th in career points scored (1,483).
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
– 1979-80 Team Reunion: the 35th anniversary of the 1979-80 NCAA Tournament team will be celebrated at halftime
– Student T-Shirt Exchange: WKU students who bring another school’s shirt to the student entrance can exchange it for a free WKU Basketball t-shirt
– Party 1 Kid Zone: free inflatable fun zone for kids opens one hour prior to tipoff on the third level concourse of E.A. Diddle Arena
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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