Tagged: HIlltoppers

WKU wraps up non-conference play for 2012-13 Saturday night at 7:30 against fifth-ranked Louisville at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

WKU has dropped back-to-back games this week on the road against Murray State and VCU, and Saturday’s game against Louisville will mark the second-straight season WKU has matched up with a Final Four team from the previous year, joining 2011 Final Four participant VCU during WKU’s 2011-12 non-conference schedule.

WKU returns to the scene of a November 30, 2008 win against third-ranked Louisville, where WKU captured a 68-54 victory against the Cardinals behind 25 points from A.J. Slaughter and 17 points and 12 rebounds from Steffphon Pettigrew.

VCU's trademark defensive pressure gave a depleted WKU team trouble Tuesday night in Richmond, Va., and WKU dropped a 76-44 decision in front of the 24th-straight sellout crowd at Verizon Wireless Arena.

WKU is now 8-4 on the season, and VCU improves to 8-3.

George Fant led WKU with eight points and eight rebounds. Kevin Kaspar added eight and five, and Brandon Harris, Percy Blade and Aleksejs Rostov each had seven points. VCU was paced by four players in double figures, led by Briante Weber's 13.

The 150th meeting between WKU and Murray State lived up to its rivalry status, as eight second-half lead changes and key baskets by both teams highlighted a 75-70 Murray State victory Sunday night in Murray, Ky. Brandon Harris scored a career high 23 points and Teeng Akol and George Fant added 14 and 10, respectively, and WKU matched Murray State step-for-step before dropping the five-point decision.

WKU sees its six-game winning streak come to an end and is now 8-3 on the season. Murray State improves to 8-1. Despite the loss, WKU still leads the all-time series between the two schools, 97-53.