UA19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases
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Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® WKU Archives Records WKU Archives Spring 2019 UA19/16/2 Basketball Press Releases WKU Athletic Media Relations Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records Part of the African American Studies Commons, Journalism Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, and the Sports Studies Commons This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in WKU Archives Records by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WKU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS / MEDIA RELATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / January 2, 2019 Men’s Basketball / Contact: Zach Greenwell, WKU Athletic Communications/Media Relations WKU Game Notes — https://goto.ps/2BXvWyd Charlotte Game Notes — https://goto.ps/2R62b8K HILLTOPPERS BEGIN C-USA PLAY ON ROAD THURSDAY AT CHARLOTTE CHARLOTTE, N.C. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball begins Conference USA play on the road against Charlotte at 6:30 p.m. CT Thursday in Charlotte, N.C. The game will air on beIN SPORTS. This season will be the first time that WKU has opened conference play with three straight road games – at Charlotte, at Old Dominion, at Marshall – since 2002-03, when the Hilltoppers began Sun Belt action at Middle Tennessee, Little Rock and Arkansas State. The Hilltoppers concluded non-conference play with an 83-76 home upset of No. 15/16 Wisconsin on Saturday, the highest-ranked team they’ve beaten at home since 1973. Charlotte finished non-conference action with a 68-53 loss to Colorado in Honolulu, Hawaii. WKU is 19-10 all-time against the 49ers, including a 6-8 mark on the road. Hilltopper head coach Rick Stansbury is 5-2 in his career against Charlotte. GAME 14 WKU (7-6, 0-0 C-USA) at Charlotte (3-8, 0-0 C-USA) January 3, 2019 | 6:30 p.m. CT Halton Arena | Charlotte, N.C. BROADCAST Listen: Hilltopper IMG Sports Network (WKLX 100.7 FM flagship), WKUSports.tv (free), TuneIn Radio (Randy Lee, pxp | Hal Schmitt, analysis) Watch: beIN SPORTS (Phil Schoen, pxp | Megan Perry, analysis) Live Stats: Charlotte Stats QUICK SHOTS • The Hilltoppers have won nine of their last 11 conference openers, including two straight. • WKU finished non-conference play with the 19th-best strength of schedule in the nation, according to the Sagarin Ratings, and the 33rd-best non-conference slate per Ken Pomeroy. • The Hilltoppers have made a 3-pointer in 989 straight games dating back to March 15, 1987. WKU entered the season tied with Arkansas for the fourth-longest streak in the nation of consecutive games with a made 3. Only UNLV (1,039), Vanderbilt (1,031) and Duke (1,021) had longer streaks to start the year. • WKU is 43-1 when leading with five minutes to play under head coach Rick Stansbury. • WKU freshman center Charles Bassey has more blocks himself (33) this year than 73 Division I teams. • WKU ranks 16th in the country in total blocks and 18th in the country in blocked shots per game, and 22nd in percentage of opponents’ shots blocked, according to Ken Pomeroy. Its average of 5.5 blocks per game would be its highest on record. Charles Bassey leads C-USA in blocks per game (2.5). • The Hilltoppers have shot 83 more free throws than their opponents this year and made four more free throws than their opponents have even attempted, a calling card of the program. • Sophomore Taveion Hollingsworth has scored at least 10 points in 37 of his 51 career games. He’s scored at least 20 points in 12 of those outings, including a 22-point effort against Wisconsin on Dec. 29. • After scoring 15-plus points just once in the Hilltoppers’ first 10 games of the season, sophomore guard Josh Anderson has scored at least 15 points in three straight games for WKU. • As of Tuesday, Charles Bassey was ranked fifth nationally among freshmen for rebounds per game (9.1) and tied for second in total blocks (33). He ranks second in C-USA in total rebounds per game (9.1). • As of Tuesday, Charles Bassey ranked in the top 50 in the country in double-doubles (40th), field-goal percentage (23rd), blocks per game (13th), total blocks (13th), total rebounds per game (47th) and total rebounds (50th). LAST GAME AGAINST CHARLOTTE: FEBRUARY 22, 2018 WKU shot better than 55 percent for the fourth straight game, rolling past Charlotte 93-55 at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers put six players in double figures, including a career-high 19 points from Josh Anderson. WKU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS / MEDIA RELATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / January 3, 2019 Men’s Basketball / Contact: Zach Greenwell, WKU Athletic Communications/Media Relations Box score and postgame notes are attached. Video: WKU head coach Rick Stansbury — https://youtu.be/6lZhEM2emkQ Video: WKU forward Moustapha Diagne — https://youtu.be/TWm9jAo9nSk Video: WKU guard Jake Ohmer — https://youtu.be/cpgf7gH-YPA HILLTOPPERS NET 12 3-POINTERS IN 68-50 ROUT AT CHARLOTTE CHARLOTTE, N.C. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball set a season high for made 3-pointers and took control early on the road, opening Conference USA play with a 68-50 win at Charlotte on Thursday. The Hilltoppers (8-6, 1-0 C-USA) netted 12 shots from long range, their most in a game since also hitting 12 against Southern Miss on Dec. 30, 2017. WKU has won 10 of its last 12 conference openers – including three straight under head coach Rick Stansbury, who won his 50th game at the helm of the Hilltoppers. “We haven’t been able to sub all year long at the level we subbed tonight,” Stansbury said. “I basically took those starters out around the 15-minute mark. I know we scored the first 11 of 15 possessions coming out of halftime, and I think they scored twice. I have a bunch of guys who sat over there in tight games who needed to play.” All 10 Hilltoppers who played scored, led by redshirt junior Jared Savage’s 13 points. But no starter played more than 29 minutes, and WKU got 23 points off its bench. Sophomore guard Jake Ohmer led the charge from the reserves, netting a career-high four 3- pointers for 12 points in 26 minutes. “Last game, I got in and hit one, so I’ve been in the gym working,” Ohmer said. “I’ve been trying to prove myself and get back in a rhythm and play more.” Freshman center Charles Bassey finished with 11 points, five rebounds and two blocks, while freshman guard Dalano Banton added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. Both freshman guard Jeremiah Gambrell and redshirt junior forward Moustapha Diagne made their first career 3-pointers as Hilltoppers. “It was good for us, the way we came out today – especially in the second half,” Diagne said. “Everybody contributed and then we got stops, so it was good for us.” Trailing 17-15 at the 7:24 mark of the first half, WKU went on a 14-2 run to pull in front 29-19, capped by back-to-back 3s from Savage and Ohmer. The Hilltoppers led 34-25 at the break and used a 17-4 run in the second half to quickly run that lead to 48-29. They eventually led by as much as 25 with 5:12 to play. WKU shot 50 percent from the field, outrebounded Charlotte 35-23 and tallied 14 assists. Jon Davis led Charlotte (3-9, 0-1) with 24 points. The Hilltoppers continue their three-game road swing to open C-USA play at Old Dominion at 6 p.m. CT Saturday. The game will air on Stadium on Facebook. WKU Hilltoppers at Charlotte 49ers Postgame Notes January 3, 2019 Halton Arena | Charlotte, N.C. FINAL SCORE: WKU 68, Charlotte 50 RECORDS AND NOTABLES • WKU improves to 8-6 overall and 1-0 in conference play. • Charlotte falls to 3-9 overall and 0-1 in conference play. • The Hilltoppers are 20-10 all-time vs. the 49ers, including a 7-8 mark on the road. Head coach Rick Stansbury is 6-2 against Charlotte. • WKU is has won 10 of their last 12 conference openers, including three straight under Stansbury. • With this victory, head coach Rick Stansbury has earned his 50th win at WKU. • Attendance was announced at 3,019. • UP NEXT: WKU continues its opening conference stretch on the road traveling to Old Dominion on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on Stadium on Facebook. TEAM NOTES • WKU used the starting lineup of Dalano Banton, Taveion Hollingsworth, Jared Savage, Josh Anderson and Charles Bassey for the second straight game. The group rises to 2-0 when starting together. • KEY FIRST HALF RUN: WKU held Charlotte scoreless for over six minutes through the 11-minute mark. The Hilltoppers then used a 14-2 run with just under seven minutes remaining in the half to regain the lead and a score of 29-19. • KEY SECOND HALF RUN: The Hilltoppers went on a 17-4 run at the beginning of the half to extend their lead to 57-33. • WKU shot 24 of 48 (50 percent) from the field, 12 of 28 (42.9 percent) from 3-point range and 8 of 12 (66.7 percent) from the free-throw line. The Hilltopper has shot at least 50 percent from the field in three straight games. • The Hilltoppers’ 12 3-pointers are the most since hitting that same mark against Southern Miss on December 30, 2017.