Hilltopper Sports: Unleashing the Spirit of Western Kentucky University Athletics

MIAMI – WKU men’s basketball continues its Conference USA series of competitions for the 2024-25 season on the road at FIU on Saturday, Jan. 4. The tip-off at Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami, Fla. is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT with ESPN+ broadcasting the game.
 
The Hilltoppers approach the contest against the Panthers holding a record of 10-4 overall and a 1-0 mark in CUSA, coming off a 71-70 road triumph over Liberty on Thursday night to commence conference action. Freshman guard Julius Thedford spearheaded the effort for the Tops in the victory over the Flames, scoring 18 points, including a pivotal three-pointer that pushed WKU ahead by three with 32 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
Don McHenry and Tyrone Marshall Jr. each netted 12 points in Saturday’s win, with Marshall concluding the night with 6-for-7 shooting from the field, collecting a team-high eight rebounds, while McHenry contributed six rebounds along with two assists. Khristian Lander rounded out the Tops in double-digit scoring, shooting 3-of-4 from long distance and 3-for-7 from the field for 10 points, along with three rebounds and a team-leading two blocks. Braxton Bayless topped WKU in assists and steals, recording three of each.
 
FIU enters this match following a close defeat to Middle Tennessee in their conference debut on Thursday. Junior center Vianney Salatchoum led the scoring with a season-best 21 points on a 10-for-14 shooting performance from the field. After the loss, the Panthers have an overall record of 6-8 and 0-1 within CUSA league competition.
 
GAME INFO
WKU (10-4, 1-0 CUSA) vs. FIU (6-8, 0-1 CUSA)
Saturday, Jan. 4 | 1 p.m. CT
Ocean Bank Convocation Center | Miami, Fla.
Watch: ESPN+ (Corey Brooks & Stephen Strom)
Listen: Hilltopper Sports Radio Network | 100.7-FM (WKLX)/Varsity Network (Randy Lee & Hal Schmitt)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Buy | WKUTickets.com | 1-800-5-BIG RED
Game Notes: Media Center
  
ABOUT THE TOPS

• WKU currently averages 79.9 points per game, ranking 84^th in the nation
• WKU stands eighth nationally for defensive rebounding, averaging 29.79 per game
• The team ranks 65^th in the nation in FG% defense, restricting opponents to a .404% shooting efficiency from the field
• The Tops rank 56^th in steals across the nation, averaging 8.6 per game for a cumulative total of 121 this season
• WKU is currently sixth in adjusted tempo nationally, with an average of 74.6 possessions per 40 minutes
• Don McHenry leads the Hilltoppers and ranks fifth in CUSA for scoring, averaging 18.0 points per contest; McHenry has 27 steals (1.9/G), placing fifth in CUSA and 65^th in the country
• McHenry possesses the seventh-best FG% in the conference (min 60 attempts) at .433%
• He has a shooting percentage of .360% (32-of-89) from three-point range, holding the most attempts and successful shots on the team; additionally, he boasts the fourth-best free-throw success rate in CUSA at .816% (40-of-49)
• Tyrone Marshall Jr. leads WKU and ranks third in the league for defensive rebounds with 81 (5.8/G), placing him 76^th in the nation; he also ranks seventh in total rebounds with 94 (6.7/G)
• Marshall Jr. leads the Hilltoppers and stands 15^th in CUSA for blocks, totaling 10 this season
• Freshman Julius Thedford is presently the team’s third highest scorer, averaging 12.2 points per game from the team’s second highest total (171)
• Jalen Jackson leads the squad and positions 19^th in CUSA concerning assists with 29 (2.1/G) this season
• Babacar Faye currently holds the team’s second-best scoring and rebounding averages, with 15.2 points and 7.8 boards per game

 
SERIES INFORMATION
WKU maintains a 40-12 all-time edge in matchups against FIU, recording a 15-8 mark in away games in Miami. The Hilltoppers had a split series with FIU in the 2023-24 season, achieving a 105-91 victory at home in Diddle Arena on Jan. 25, then losing 85-83 during their last encounter on March 2.
 
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

• FIU enters Saturday’s contest with a record of 6-8 overall and 0-1 in CUSA after a 73-69 defeat to Middle Tennessee in the Panthers’ league opener
• Junior big man Vianney Salatchoum achieved a season-high 21 points, shooting 10-for-14 from the field to lead the team in scoring against MTSU; he currently ranks as the squad’s second-leading scorer with an average of 10.4 points per game, boasting a team-best .590% (62-of-105) shooting percentage
• Salatchoum is the team’s leader in blocks, ranking second in CUSA with 29 this season, averaging 2.1 per game
• Junior guard Jayden Brewer leads the Panthers in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game; he ranks sixth in CUSA in scoring and 10^th in rebounding
• Junior guard Asim Jones heads the team in assists, placing ninth in CUSA with a total of 45 this season, averaging 3.2 per game; he also possesses the fifth-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league at 1.8
• Jones has the third-highest free-throw shooting percentage in CUSA, achieving a .833% (40-of-48) rate
• FIU leads the conference in blocks, averaging 5.21 per game, totaling 73 this season
• The Panthers rank second in steals in the league, averaging 8.86 steals per game with a total of 124 so far

 
Follow the team on social media (@wkubasketball) and visit wkusports.com to stay updated with the latest news and information on all things related to Hilltopper Basketball as the team advances through its 2024-25 season.