Hilltopper Basketball announces 2024-25 non-conference slate

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU men’s basketball and head coach Hank Plona announced its non-conference schedule of competition for the 2024-25 season on Monday. The Hilltoppers’ non-conference slate features nine home outings in Diddle Arena beginning with the team’s season opener against Wichita State on Nov. 4, and four marquee road matchups at Grand Canyon, Kentucky, Evansville and Michigan.

“We are excited about the schedule we’ve been able to put together for our players and our fans,” Plona said. “Our players wanted to be challenged and play some of the best teams in the country, and we scheduled with that mindset. We want to know where we stack up heading into league play.”

Plona enters his first season at the helm as WKU is coming off another banner year for the program in 2023-24. Last year, the Tops secured the Conference USA Tournament title – marking a 44th conference championship for the program all-time – and earned an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament for the 24th time in the program’s history. It was WKU’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013.

“I know our fans are excited about the season, and having 18 games in Diddle Arena overall will be outstanding for our community,” Plona said. “I hope that every single home game becomes an event and the thing to do on that day or night. Our players feed off of the energy in Diddle, and I cannot stress how important each and every person is to our success.”

Following the Tops’ season-opening matchup against Wichita State on Nov. 4, WKU will travel to Phoenix and face Grand Canyon to open road play. The matchup with the Lopes will mark the first-ever meeting between the programs. Grand Canyon is coming off a WAC Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament run that included a win over No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s in 2023-24.

WKU returns to Diddle Arena for a three-game home stand beginning with a game against Campbellsville on Nov. 12, followed by matchups with Lipscomb (Nov. 17) and Jackson State (Nov. 20).

The Hilltoppers return to road play for a meeting against in-state foe Kentucky on Nov. 26 in Rupp Arena. The Hilltoppers last battled the Wildcats on Dec. 22, 2021, falling short on the road in Lexington. WKU holds a 2-5 all-time mark facing Kentucky with the Tops’ last win in the series coming in 2001 in Lexington.

WKU returns home on Nov. 30 and will host former CUSA rival Marshall for the first time since 2022. The Hilltoppers hold a 22-12 all-time advantage against the Herd in a series dating back to 1944 and will look to extend a current seven-game winning streak facing the opponent. That matchup will cap off an exciting day on The Hill, as Hilltopper Football hosts Jax State for Senior Day earlier in the day.

The Tops travel to Evansville on Dec. 7 in what will serve as the first matchup against the Purple Aces since 2009. WKU holds a 40-20 all-time advantage in the series dating back to 1927.

WKU enters a four-game home stand beginning with a matchup vs. Tennessee State on Dec. 10. The Hilltoppers currently hold a perfect 9-0 mark all-time when facing the Tigers.

WKU hosts historic rival Murray State on Dec. 14 for the 154th all-time meeting between the programs. The Tops traveled to Murray last season and defeated the Racers, 86-81, in CFSB Center.

The Hilltoppers’ series with the Racers serves as the second-most played series in the program’s history and dates back to 1932. The teams competed as members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948 to 1982. WKU holds a 99-54 advantage over Murray State and a 59-13 all-time mark when hosting the matchup in Bowling Green.

WKU welcomes Seattle to Diddle Arena on Dec. 17 for the first-ever meeting between the programs, then wraps the home portion of non-conference play by hosting Kentucky Wesleyan on Dec. 21. The Hilltoppers previously defeated the Panthers in a 90-64 win to open the 2023-24 season. The victory improved the Tops’ all-time mark facing Kentucky Wesleyan to 27-9 in a series dating back to 1922.

WKU will close its slate of non-conference competition with a road battle against Michigan on Dec. 29 in Ann Arbor. The Hilltoppers are 2-3 all time in games against the Wolverines. WKU previously faced Michigan in 2008 and secured a 73-69 win at the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage.

All tipoff times and broadcast network information will be released on a later date.

Hilltopper Basketball prepares to tip off the 2024-25 season in Diddle Arena on Nov. 4. For information on tickets visit wkusports.com/tickets or call the WKU Ticket Office at 1-800-5-BIGRED.