Greetings from the Nashville airport, where I’m waiting to head to Florida for WKU’s two games in the Sunshine State this week.

I asked my followers on Twitter for some questions about the Hilltoppers, and I tried to answer a few while sitting at my gate.

Enjoy, and don’t forget to follow along late today when WKU visits Florida Atlantic at 6 p.m. CST today.

@SirBryson: Why don’t we press more, seems to be effective?

I think it’s a mix of things that’s kept WKU from pressing more, but at times you’ve seen the Tops use it about as much as they will.

The press is always going to be dependent on who they’re playing, how they’re shooting free throws and how under control they’ve been. WKU was able to turn up the pressure a few times against Charlotte and Old Dominion and make those teams uncomfortable with the crowd behind them.

I think that’s more how you’ll see the press used – in carefully-timed spots for a change of pace or a momentum swing.

@MikeWHardin: it seems like Harper shortened the bench this week. Do you expect he will play more guys in Florida? Is Patterson bk nx wk?

First, I think you saw the rotation Harper will use in tight games going forward against Charlotte and ODU.

The starting five is pretty much set for now (why change it when it’s working?), and you know DJ Clayton, Justin Johnson and Ben Lawson will play significant minutes off the bench. Nigel Snipes and Brandon Price will give spot minutes in reserve. I don’t expect that rotation to branch back out, except in games where the result isn’t in doubt. Honestly, the bench shortening is a good thing because it means guys like Clayton and Johnson have developed into reliable role players.

As for Patterson, who missed the ODU game because of a death in the family, I saw him back at WKU this week for practice.

@claymal: do u c mainly a seven man rotation going forward like we saw vs ODU?

This goes hand-in-hand with the last question. I think it’s mainly an eight-man rotation – with Clayton, Johnson and Lawson getting minutes off the bench – but Clayton and Johnson are certainly the go-to guys off the pine.

@Nateharlan4Nate: did Harper give Rostov a red light on shooting? Does Harper have any ideas to get Rostov back to his freshman level of play?

It’s funny you say Rostov has a red light, because over the last couple of games, the big man has been firing shots like he just got the green light. Really, I don’t think it was ever taken away.

Observing from a distance, Rostov has seemed like he’s been overthinking things all season. Even when he goes for a rebound, it seems like he’s thinking about all the steps in the technique instead of using his instinct to grab the board.

But, I think it’s gotten better recently. He’s been a little more aggressive, and I’m sure Harper would rather see him have the confidence to shoot the 3 or that long jumper, even if it’s not falling at a high rate. If Alex can get comfortable and just play, he could round into form.

@zacharyimel3: think Justin Johnson will get more minutes in front of Rostov during conference play? DJ Clayton has potential to be a WKU great, is this his development year or will he get major PT down the stretch to March?

First off, always an honor to receive a question from the Imel Family Dynasty. Now, on to your questions.

Yes, I think it’s fair to say Johnson will get more minutes than Rostov during league play. Those beating the drum that Johnson needs to start will probably be disappointed. I just don’t see it happening, and Harper isn’t really concerned with who starts. Johnson will come into games early and often and has shown he can be reliable in crunch time.

As for Clayton, I think the answer to both notions is yes. This is his development year – he’s turning it over a lot, as freshmen do – but he’s going to play a lot in the stretch run. He’s been too good on both ends and has kept WKU afloat a few times when the usual suspects haven’t been scoring. This year of being thrown into the fire will serve Clayton very well when he takes on a larger role next season.

@brandonetc: which big men, if any, show most potential to step up into a bigger contributing role in conference play?

Getting consistent production from the five position is an obvious concern in the back of the Tops’ minds during this winning streak. It’s just hard to worry about it too much when George Fant is dominating.

I think it’s honestly going to have to be by committee. Rostov and Lawson aren’t going to overwhelm anyone, and they certainly aren’t going to light up the scoreboard, but they need to grab as many boards as they can, cause problems with their length and defend like crazy.

If I had to pick anyone to step up, it would be Johnson. He’s physically ready and isn’t going to shy away from a big stage.

— Zach Greenwell