Lady Toppers begin CUSA play with Liberty on Thursday

WNKY Staff,

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU women’s basketball returns tips off Conference USA play and the 2025 calendar year on Thursday, Jan. 2 when the Lady Toppers host Liberty. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. in E.A. Diddle Arena.

AT THE GAME

  • Superhero Night – Kids attending Thursday’s game are encouraged to dress as their favorite superheroes. The first 100 fans will receive a free cape backpack.
  • Tickets

GAME INFO

  • WKU (9-3, 0-0 CUSA) vs. Liberty (7-4, 0-0 CUSA)
  • Thursday, Jan. 2 | 6:30 PM | Bowling Green, Ky. | E.A. Diddle Arena
  • Watch: ESPN+ | Listen: ESPN 102.7 in Bowling Green or Varsity Network
  • Live stats
  • Game Notes

ABOUT THE TOPS

  • The Lady Toppers are 9-1 in Conference USA openers all-time and have won four straight to open CUSA play.
  • Four different WKU players are averaging double-digit points this season: Alexis Mead – 14.0 PPG, Acacia Hayes – 12.1 PPG, Destiny Salary – 11.9 PPG, Josie Gilvin – 11.0 PPG. WKU has had six different leading scorers through 12 games this season. Alexis Mead has led the team four times and Destiny Salary has led the team in scoring in three games. Acacia Hayes led the team twice and Zsofia Telegdy, Josie Gilvin and Mackenzie Chatfield have each led the team once.
  • The Lady Toppers are averaging 12.1 steals per game this season, which is the 24th best rate in the country. Three different Lady Toppers are top 10 in steals per game in CUSA (Acacia Hayes: 2.64, 4th; Alexis Mead: 2.42, 6th; Josie Gilvin: 2.17, 7th).
  • WKU went undefeated in November with a perfect 6-0 record in the month. It’s the first time a Lady Topper team has notched an undefeated record through a whole month (3 games played minimum) since going 7-0 in February of 2017.
  • Five Lady Toppers come to Bowling Green internationally, which is the highest number of international athletes WKU women’s basketball has had on one team in program history.
  • The Lady Toppers were picked to finish fourth in the Conference USA preseason coaches poll, behind Middle Tennessee, Liberty and FIU and above Louisiana Tech in fifth.

SERIES INFORMATION

  • Thursday’s game will be the sixth matchup all-time between WKU and Liberty. The Flames own a 4-1 record against WKU.
  • The Lady Toppers began CUSA play against Liberty last season as well. WKU won that game, 68-66, in Lynchburg. The Lady Toppers ended the regular season last year against the Flames and then faced Liberty in the first round of the CUSA tournament just three days later.

ABOUT THE FLAMES

  • Liberty wrapped up non-conference play with a 7-4 record. The Flames defeated Valparaiso, California Baptist, Towson, Christopher Newport, North Carolina A&T, Randolph, and Arkansas. Liberty had losses against Duke, Tennessee, Grand Canyon, and Toledo.
  • The Flames have three averaging double digit points this season. Bella Smuda leads the team, averaging 12.3 points per game. Asia Boone is scoring 10.6 points per game and Emmy Stout is putting up 10.3 points per game.
  • Stout is leading the team on the boards, pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game.
  • Liberty has the league’s best 3-point percentage, shooting 37.6 percent from beyond the arc this season. That mark is the 19th best in the country.

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