WKU Basketball: Tennessee Tech Preview
Tonight the Hilltoppers conclude their non-conference schedule by taking on a reeling Tennessee Tech squad at 6 PM CT on ESPNU. The Golden Eagles are still looking for their first win of 2020 and this game should be an easy game before Conference play starts on New Year’s Day. Here is a quick preview of WKU’s former OVC rival.
- Spread: WKU -22. O/U: 141
- Current Record: 0–8 (0–2 in OVC)
- Closest Loss 76–75 Overtime Loss to Western Carolina
- Worst Loss 104–49 Loss to #10 Tennessee
- WKU leads the alltime series 82–20
- WKU opened last season with a 76–64 Win over the Golden Eagles
- Tennessee Tech is coached by John Pelphrey, the former UK forward and onetime head coach at South Alabama and Arkansas. He went 9–22 during his debut in Cookeville and is now 9–30 at the school.
- Point guard Junior Clay leads the team in scoring at 13.6 points per game with 3.6 rebounds per game. He is undersized at 6'0 160 pounds, WKU’s guards should be able to handle him as they held him to only 7 points during the 2019 matchup.
- Shooting Guard Keishawn Davidson is a three-point threat. The sophomore from Murfreesboro hit three triples against the Hilltoppers last year en route to 18 points and is shooting 36% from deep on the season.
- The Golden Eagles have a lot of frontcourt bodies with five players 6'7 or taller but none average double-digit points or more than six rebounds per game. Charles Bassey and Carson Williams should easily feast down low.
- Madisonville (Kentucky) freshman forward Kenny White Jr. could be a very good player down the road. The former First team All-Kentucky player is averaging 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game and scored 13 points in his debut against Indiana.
Overall WKU gets one last breather before conference play starts. This should be a great opportunity to continue to try different lineup combinations and get the bench guys some much needed minutes.
Prediction
The Hilltoppers struggle with focus early and let the Golden Eagles hang around longer than they should but wake up and use a big run to blow the game open. Stansbury rests most of the starters in the second half and we get to see Isiah Cozart, Kylin Milton, Patrick Murphy, and the other backups as the Hilltoppers roll to a 92–68 Win to close out non-conference play with a 7–2 record.
