WKU Basketball: Hilltoppers Continue Myrtle Beach Invitational Against West Virginia
The Hilltoppers continue the Myrtle Beach Invitational with a showdown against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the tournament’s…
The Hilltoppers continue the Myrtle Beach Invitational with a showdown against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the tournament’s semifinals.
Game Info
Time: 8 p.m. CT
Location: HTC Center | Conway, S.C.
TV: ESPNU
Radio: The Hilltopper IMG Sports Network
The Tops opened the MBI with an 83–71 victory over Valparaiso in which WKU struggled to find consistency but were able to play well enough and dominant enough in key stretches to put Valpo out of reach early.
West Virginia smothered Monmouth, 71–53, and held the Hawks to shooting just 35.3% from the floor.
However, if yesterday’s production for the Neers is any indication, West Virginia isn’t very deep offensively, seeing just two double-digit scorers in their win in Esa Ahmad (16 points) and Sagaba Konate (14 points, eight rebounds).
Where WV will give the Tops the most fits is defensively, especially when they implore the full court press (which will be a lot, I’m assuming).
Josh Anderson and Dalano Banton can both handle the ball, no doubt about that, but Anderson didn’t make decisions easily and Banton is still quite young, neither of which make for success and could theoretically lead to a long evening (I’m having really bad flashbacks to that game at VCU like four years ago).
Offensively, WVU might be similar to Valpo. The Crusaders attempted 31 (not a typo) three-pointers on Thursday, making just nine of them.
WVU shot well from the floor, 45.7% and making 21 shots, but were just 6-of-23 from deep (26.1%). It’s a dangerous game to play because anyone can get hot at any moment, but if WV wants to roll with a similar game and stay outside, as long as they miss, I’ll take it.
The winner this evening will advance to the MBI title game on Sunday to face the winner of UCF/St. Joseph’s at 5:30 p.m. CT.
If the Tops were to fall, they’d play the SJU/UCF loser on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT.