Bold Predictions: What is Your Bold Prediction for WKU Basketball?
Roundtable: WKU opens up regular season play Monday. Can you believe it? It's basketball time on The Hill! We ask our writers for their craziest thought and a prediction for the Shockers Monday.
Finally, basketball season is here. Unlike many seasons on The Hill, WKU Football is still fighting for a championship as basketball season starts. It’s not that football is typically over, but usually, WKU has a conference loss by now, or they have obvious flaws. This season, WKU is the team to beat.
So maybe you’ve been paying attention to WKU Football and basketball season has snuck up on you. Well, surprise! It’s basketball season, folks. WKU’s premier sport with the most passionate following is back. It’s time to dust off the roundballs and tip it up for early November hoops. And it’s time to celebrate last season’s championship run, something that happened on The Hill for the first time in 11 years.
We all have crazy thoughts about what could happen at the beginning of the year, and most often, we’re way wrong. But in this one, we turn our staff loose, letting them make a bold prediction on any subject WKU Men’s Basketball.
In addition, we want a score prediction for WKU against Wichita State Monday night in Diddle Arena.
Editor’s Note: To explain our records, this year, we are going to count up our record for the entire school year in every sport, giving you a better sense for who has made the best predictions in all sports throughout the year.
Bold Predictions
Matt McCay (7-1): WKU Falters, Loses in Semifinals of CUSA Tournament, Loses to Wichita
Well, crap. I’ll probably take some heat for being a negative Nancy on this one, but I’m just thinking pure percentages here. What are the chances WKU repeats? What are the chances injuries catch up to them (already a handful of players with significant injuries)? What are the chances WKU avoids bad luck and runs through what looks to be a stacked Conference USA?
I believe WKU will be really good this year, but I also think stuff happens, as well. Don’t be shocked if WKU gets knocked out before the conference championship game this year.
Also, WKU struggled with UAB’s physical style. I also think WKU will struggle down low, although if Babacar Faye seriously scores 20 a game, they’ll be fine. But if he doesn’t, there is virtually zero offense coming from anyone that is a true post player. Maybe the undersized Enoch Kalambay can add some offense, and Tyrone Marshall is a versatile guy, but he is not a pure post player. Down low, it’s Babacar and Enoch and that’s about it.
Early on, I’m concerned about WKU’s chemistry, and I’m concerned about WKU’s depth. I’m also concerned that Wichita generally plays a very physical, midwestern style of tough basketball. Just because I’m taking a negative viewpoint does not mean I hate WKU.
But don’t be shocked if WKU starts the season off slowly and builds from there. Ugh. This sucks to come out of the gates like this, and I’m also the first person listed on the article… Wichita State 75-WKU 69.
Alex Sherfield (8-0): WKU Repeats as Conference Champions, Beat Wichita State
My boldest prediction of the 2024-2025 season will have to be running it back for a second CUSA championship in Huntsville, AL. The Tops have a pretty solid setup with retaining a few key players & making more pieces via the transfer portal. Given the experience and the promotion of Hank Plona, I don’t expect too many growing pains to impact us soon. The non-conference schedule looks promising but in a mixed bag of a league, conference games are going to once again prove if the Tops can forge their path to another NCAA Tournament appearance.
The men’s basketball team’s excitement is definitely in the air this season. Lifting the conference championship banner in the home opener WITH a nationally televised appearance? What more can you ask for with The Tops at this moment? A Wichita State ballclub with a very rich tradition in college hoops is looking to play spoiler on what looks to be a good night in Bowling Green. They also boast a record of winning their opening games going back to 1992, going 29-2. The pressure is on. The Tops are going to rely on the bench and the backcourt to get us a hard-fought win in Diddle Arena.
Give me WKU 86, Wichita State 80
Jake Gary (8-0): WKU Wins a Game in the NCAA Tournament, Beats Wichita State
2024-25 bold prediction? WKU wins a NCAA tournament game. Yeah I’m stepping up the boldness from just an appearance. We win the conference tourney and get a good little upset in the Big Dance. Go big or go home.
For tomorrow, 71-67 WKU over Wichita State. I honestly don’t know what to expect from Wichita, but even with a missing key player I think the Tops have a very good chance of securing a solid win right off the bat here.
Devin Stewart (7-0): ?????
When asked for a prediction, Devin goes, “I don’t know s*** bout Witchita state.” 😂😂😂 Y’all pardon Devin. Rough around the edges, but we love him. And no joke, the man is swamped at work. We’ll give him a pass, but yeah couldn’t resist putting this in the article! LOL
David McCay (7-1): WKU Wins Games (Plural) in the NCAA Tournament, Beats Wichita State
While looking over the roster and statistics, coaches and players, and schedule, I believe that Western could be 10-2 going into conference play. Any better than that, we will all be wondering if this is the year. Any worse than 8-4 and we will begin to wonder about the year.
Given that WKU upgraded big players and they were all that were truly lost from last season, and we return all the consistent guards from 2023-24 team that went to NCAA tournament, I believe WKU should dominate the conference this year and win some games in NCAA Tournament in March 2025.
I think at best it’s a back and forth affair. WKU needs to take better shots than they did against UAB. WKU 80-WSU 79
Bret Combest (4-0)
I predict we're going to fight claw and bust our ass and win the game by 4. It'll be close but we will come out victorious at home.
Conclusion: Tops Are in for a Battle
Unlike WKU Football, which has been very easy to pick this year (no writer thus far has picked two wrong games), basketball is way more unpredictable, and with 30-40 games each year, it’s that much more difficult to pick what might happen some random night in November.
What we do know is WKU should be good and should compete at the top of Conference USA. Several teams are expected to battle it out for CUSA supremacy, and WKU is one of several expected to vie for the crown.
We also know Wichita State had an incredibly down year last year, going 15-19 overall but breaking WKU’s three point streak dating back over three decades and defeating the Tops in the land of Dorothy 71-61. We also know Wichita State is picked a respectable fourth in the AAC behind only UAB, Memphis, and USF. Shocker: They’re going to be good.
Now you can always wipe your hind end with preseason predictions, but indications are these should be two very good high mid-major teams that could hang with most everyone in the country on any given night.
Who knows what happens, but Diddle Arena should be packed, and this game should shift some focus away from just football and have people dually focused on the hardwood and gridiron Tops.
That especially happens if the Tops win. So win, Tops.
Even though it’s a season opener, it’s a big one. This could show up as a quality win on a resume, could help a seed line, and if nothing else could just help the winner get some confidence.
Whatever the details, this game tells both teams where they stand against a comparable opponent from a good mid-major league.
Buckle up, Topper fans. We all don’t know what to expect, but we know this team should be capable of making multiple runs (conference and national) in March.
It’s now the meat of Conference USA season in football, basketball is finally here, Volleyball is deep in CUSA play and prepping for the postseason, and the Topper fall calendar is in full swing. Don’t you want to be connected with the only WKU outlet that provides real, unbiased perspective with live tweeting, breaking news, a podcast, and full-length articles? No one else does exactly what we do, and it’s all for FREE! There’s no charge for the one stop shop that is The Towel Rack!
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GO TOPS!!!!