WKU is set to end its longest homestand of C-USA play on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. inside E.A. Diddle Arena, hosting travel partner Marshall to conclude its three-game stretch in the friendly confines of its home arena.
The Lady Toppers lead the all-time series against the Thundering Herd by a 6-1 margin, but Marshall earned a 66-63 upset victory in the C-USA Quarterfinals last season. WKU has won its four home games in the series by an average of 20.5 points, including an 81-52 victory on Jan. 2 last season.
In WKU’s last time out, the Lady Toppers led by as many as 33 points in the third quarter before closing out a 66-51 victory over archrival Middle Tennessee last Sunday afternoon; Kendall Noble starred for WKU, scoring 16 of her 18 points in the second half to go with six rebounds, five assists and five steals.
Marshall sports four players in double figures this season: Shayna Gore (16.6), Kiana Evans (12.1), Talequia Hamilton (11.8) and Taylor Porter (10.8). Khadaijia Brooks is the team’s leading rebounder at a 7.4 per game clip, and Gore has dished out a team-best 54 assists.
Following Saturday’s tilt, WKU will return to the road for dates with UTEP (Thursday at 8:05 p.m. CT) and UTSA (Saturday at 2 p.m. CT) next week as C-USA play continues.
GAME #19 – WKU VS. MARSHALL
WKU (13-5, 5-1 C-USA) vs. Marshall (11-6, 3-3 C-USA)
January 21, 2017 | 2:00 p.m. (CT)
Bowling Green, Ky. | E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326)
WKU Game Notes
QUICK SHOTS
– Defending C-USA Player of the Year Kendall Noble is currently the only Division I player in the nation averaging at least 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game for the season. Over her last two games, Noble has scored 35 of her 42 points in the second half and is averaging a team-best 16.5 points per game in C-USA contests.
– WKU owns a 10-2 record this season when holding opponents below 70 points and have accomplished the feat in six of their last seven games. When scoring 70 or more points themselves, WKU holds a 9-1 record in 2016-17.
– Inside Diddle Arena this season, WKU sports a 9-1 record, including a perfect 4-0 mark against conference opponents. Under Clark-Heard, WKU is a stellar 58-11 (.841) at home and has not dropped more than one game in a single season at home since the 2013-14 campaign.
– Under Michelle Clark-Heard, WKU has trailed by double digits in 40 games and has rallied to win 17 times (42.5 percent of the time) when facing a double-digit deficit. Six of those victories have come in the last two seasons alone, including wins this season after trailing by 14 (Kent State) and 13 (UAB).
– Micah Jones leads all C-USA players and ranks 11th among all Division I players with a 3.04 assist-to-turnover ratio this season. Jones has dished out 70 assists to just 23 turnovers and now ranks 10th on WKU’s career charts in the category with 375 assists.
– As a team, WKU is currently 14th in the nation with just 12.8 turnovers per game, a number that also leads C-USA for fewest among the league’s teams.
– WKU is shooting 263-of-339 (77.6 percent) from the free throw line this season, an improvement of nine percent from the 2015-16 season. Currently, WKU ranks 15th among all Division I teams in free-throw percentage this season.
– WKU owns C-USA’s top-scoring offense through 18 games, averaging 76.1 points per outing. The Lady Toppers have scored 80 or more points eight times this season and have reached 90 points three times.
– Through 18 games, the Lady Toppers have knocked down the third-most three-pointers in C-USA with 119, trailing only Marshall’s 130 and Charlotte’s 126. WKU has connected on seven or more three-pointers in nine different games this season and holds a near-perfect 7-2 record when hitting that mark.
– Redshirt senior Kendall Noble has been named one of 30 candidates for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award, joining Alexis Govan as Lady Toppers who have received the honor under Michelle Clark-Heard.
– This season, Noble has become the only player in Lady Topper Basketball history to reach 1,500 points, 750 rebounds and 500 assists for her career and is on pace to finish in the top 10 in all five major statistical categories in the WKU record book.
– WKU broke the NCAA women’s basketball record for fewest points allowed in a half by holding Lipscomb to just two first-half points on Dec. 15. The mark was also the fewest in men’s basketball since the introduction of the shot clock. In addition, WKU had six players reach double figures for the first time since Jan. 21, 2009, in the victory, a stretch of nearly eight years.
– Already eighth in school history with 163 three-pointers, Micah Jones needs just two more to pass Renee Westmoreland (1990-93) for seventh place on the charts.
BROADCAST
Listen: 102.7 FM, 1450AM in Bowling Green (Barry Williams, pxp; Laurie Idlett, analysis)
Watch: WKUSports.tv (Online Stream)
Live Stats: WKUSports.com
PROMOTIONS
– FREE PARKING FOR ALL FANS
– Fuqua Events Kids Zone: The Fuqua Events inflatable fun zone for kids opens one hour prior to tipoff on the third level concourse of Diddle Arena and is free for all fans.
– Halftime Dance Clinic: At halftime, the Topperettes will host a dance clinic for Kentuckiana Girls Scouts.
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 Lady Toppers: For complete information on WKU Lady Topper Basketball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on Twitter, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.
– @WKUSports –
Currie P. McFayden
WKU Associate Director of Media Relations