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GAME THREAD: WKU vs FAU - 02/26/15 @ 8:00 PM

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What: FAU (8-17, 1-13 C-USA) vs Western Kentucky (16-10, 9-5 C-USA)

When: Thur, Feb 26th @ 8:00 PM

Where: E.A. Diddle Arena


TV: Fox College Sports

Live Video: None

Radio: ESPN 106.3

Live Stats: Here


Hilltoppers Team Site: Here


Probable Starters

FAU

G Marquan Botley 13.4 ppg
G Solomon Poole 12.8 ppg
G Jackson Trapp 10.6 ppg
F Kelvin Penn 5.1 ppg
C Justin Raffington 9.5 ppg


WKU

G T.J. Price 17.9 ppg
G Trency Jackson 10.1 ppg
G DJ Jackson 4.7 ppg
F George Fant 13.6 ppg
F Aleksej Rostov 2.6 ppg


The Series

The Hilltoppers lead 11-5.


WKU at a Glance

Offense - 72.5 PPG, 43.1% FG, 35.5% 3PT

Defense - 67.8 PGA, 42.1% FGA, 32.0% 3PTA

Rebounding - 38.0 PG Team, 35.6 PG Opponents


Notables

WKU welcomes Florida Atlantic to E.A. Diddle Arena as both teams hope to break losing skids. WKU senior T.J. Price continues to sit atop the C-USA scoring chart, averaging 17.9 ppg on the season and 18.9 against league foes.

WKU senior George Fant is second in Conference USA with 11 double-doubles on the year. Price is the conference leader in 20 plus point scoring games this season with 11 on the year.

WKU is 11-3 at in E.A. Diddle Arena this year and are still clinging on the bubble for an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament with an RPI of 122. If the Hilltoppers are to get an at-large bid they will have to at least win their remaining regular season games and make it to the Conference USA Tournament Final.



FAU at a Glance

Offense - 62.7 PPG, 41.3% FG, 34.3% 3PT

Defense - 65.9 PGA, 45.3% FGA, 27.8% 3PTA

Rebounding - 31.6 PG Team, 35.3 PG Opponents


Notables

FAU will be playing their final road games of the season this weekend and will look to capture their first road win since the calendar flipped to 2015 against WKU. The Owls last road win came against Jacksonville as they defeated the Dolphins 68-50 on December 30th.

FAU is currently in the midst of a nine game losing streak, their longest losing streak since the 2008-2009 basketball season when they lost 13 games in a row.

Senior Justin Raffington is tied for sixth in Conference USA with six double-doubles this season. Raffington has 14 double-doubles in his career and his presence will be needed. The Owls will be down a big man on the trip, as Brian Hornstein did not travel due to an ankle injury.

With only four games left in the season, reserve center Grant Pelchen is expected  to apply for a red shirt at seasons end after sustaining a shoulder injury which has sidelined him for the year.


Latest Line

TBA


Owl's Nest Prediction

WKU -9
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Owls open as -11 point underdogs for Thursday's contest.

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We are about 10 minutes from tip-off at Diddle Arena.

WKU's head coach was very complimentary of FAU and said he expected the Owls to be winning. He expects WKU "to get things rolling back in the right direction," despite a four-game losing skid.

If FAU can be held to 66 points, WKU will win, he said. WKU plans to "open things up" early.
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FAU Starters

G Marquan Botley 13.4 ppg
G Solomon Poole 12.8 ppg
G Jackson Trapp 10.6 ppg
F Kelvin Penn 5.1 ppg
C Justin Raffington 9.5 ppg
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WKU got an offensive rebound and basket, but Solomon Poole answers with a jumper and we are tied at 2.

WKU gets 2 more to lead by 2.
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Poole drove but had the ball knocked away. Kelvin Penn just got a rebound and put in and the game is tied. at 4.

WKU answers with a three to lead by 3.
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Justin Raffington just dropped a ball out of bounds, but the Owls got the ball back after a missed WKU three.

Kelvin Penn just spun around his defender and scored, but WKU got a quick basket inside to lead 9-6. Marquan Botley then turned it over.

But the Owls defended well and Botley just hit a three to tie the game at 9.

WKU answered with another easy inside two to lead 11-9.

We are at the first media timeout with 14:53 to play in the first half.
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Jackson Trapp hits two FTs and the Owls lead 12-11.
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Justin Raffington just had a nice block of a WKU Fant shot.
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C.J. Turman just hit a jumper for two and the Owls lead 14-11.
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