WKU Basketball: Tops Travel to Memphis to Tango With Tigers
Last Thanksgiving Day, Western Kentucky erased a 10-point first half deficit and kept the Memphis Tigers at bay, holding off a late-game comeback to defeat the Tigers, 75–69, in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.
That was a different WKU team, however.
Charles Bassey logged a double-double (21 points, 14 rebounds). WKU also had Taveion Hollingsworth and Carson Williams to complement a full rotation and a roster that had familiarity with one another.
This year’s WKU team, through three games, doesn’t have the benefit of any of that.
Game Info
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: FedExForum | Memphis, Tenn.
TV: ESPN+
Radio: The Hilltopper IMG Sports Network
I’ll be honest with you: I’m not finding a lot of things to look forward to regarding tonight’s game as WKU travels to the Volunteer State and take on a consensus top 20 team.
Through three games this year, the Hilltoppers have had double-digit deficits in every single one of them. And, while in two of them they were able come back to at least tie the game, they’ve played like a team worthy of double-digit deficits, whether it’s poor shot selection, poor defense (forget the perimeter defense everyone was worried about entering the year, there’s been very little if any presence in the paint to start this year too) or just the lack of a go-to on the floor, WKU hasn’t shown that they’ve had it in the early stages of the season.
On the flipside of that, the Tigers have held leads of at least 24 points in each of their first three games this year, all wins, and have posted 90 points in back-to-back games and scored 89 in the season opener.
I don’t like to push the panic button, but this one could very well be ugly.
Four Tigers enter Friday night averaging double-figures in scoring: Emoni Bates (16.0), Jalen Duren (12.7), Tyler Harris (10.7) and Lester Quinones (10.0).
Harris hit four three pointers and led the Tigers in scoring last time out against Saint Louis.
Off the bench.
Yeah. While I’m hoping we won’t see a repeat of that, You know I can’t promise it.
Projected Lineups
WKU
Jarius Hamilton
Dayvion McKnight
Josh Anderson
Luke Frampton
Jaylen Butz
Memphis
Emoni Bates
DeAndre Williams
Jalen Duren
Lester Quinones
Alex Lomax
