For the second straight year, WKU Hilltopper Basketball will offer fans a sneak peek of the season to come with an open scrimmage at 11 a.m. Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena. The scrimmage is expected to last about two hours and is free to the public. Free parking will be available in Parking Structure 2 or Parking Structure 1 next to Diddle Arena.
Doors at Diddle Arena will open at 10:30 a.m. At that point, roads around the venue will be open following The Medical Center 10K Classic on campus, although fans should expect to meet exiting traffic from that event.
Fans got a brief glimpse of the team last week at WKU’s annual basketball tip-off event, Hilltopper Hysteria, but Saturday’s open scrimmage will present an extended look at what’s in store for the 2017-18 campaign.
WKU brings a roster with several new faces into its second season under head coach Rick Stansbury, including four members of a nationally recognized recruiting class.
The team will be led by senior forward Justin Johnson, a three-year veteran and the team’s leading scorer and rebounder for the past two seasons. Johnson led Conference USA in both rebounding and double-doubles last year.
The Hilltoppers also add the services of several transfers, including guards Lamonte Bearden and Darius Thompson, and forward Dwight Coleby. Those three have participated in a combined seven NCAA Tournaments.
The Hilltoppers are 584-166 all-time at Diddle Arena and are one of the nation’s most storied programs. WKU ranks third in NCAA history in regular-season league titles (42), seventh in 20-win seasons (43), ninth in all-time winning percentage (.660) and 18th in all-time wins (1,748).
(Courtesy WKU Athletics)
