WKU Basketball: Hilltoppers Head to Atlanta to Take on Ole Miss
Western Kentucky will look to bounce back from Wednesday's loss against the Rebels as the Holiday Hoopsgiving curtain closer.
Looking to get the taste of Wednesday’s disappointing loss to Buffalo out of their mouths, the Tops have headed to Atlanta, Georgia where they’ll take on the Ole Miss Rebels in the curtain puller of the Holiday Hoopsgiving event.
Game Info
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Location: State Farm Arena | Atlanta, Ga.
TV: SEC Network
Radio: The Hilltopper IMG Sports Network
Things weren’t all terrible against the Bulls: WKU was in control early, especially on offense, getting whatever looks they desired but ran into a red-hot three-point shooting Bulls team while WKU shot just 17.6% from deep itself.
The Tops also were also nearly doubled up in the rebounding department, on the wrong end of a 42-28 differential, and had just seven offensive rebounds while allowing 17 to UB.
Ole Miss comes into tonight having won three-straight, including a five-point upset win over Memphis, 67-63. The Rebels are shooting 44.5.% for the season and are averaging nearly 40 rebounds a game, so if WKU gets pushed around down low for a second straight game, it could make for a long night.
As highlighted in our Q&A with Red Cup Rebellion’s One Man To Beat, Jarkel Joiner is the Rebel to watch out for in this one: He leads the Rebs in scoring (and is the only Rebel to average double figures), with 16.0 a night, while also adding 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
However, like the Tops, the Rebels are slightly shorthanded, especially with the absence of Robert Allen, who will be out for the year due to a knee injury.
Time is running out for Rick Stansbury and his club to garner a marquee win this season and what better time to get a fourth win over an SEC opponent in five tries that tonight?