Forward Raneem Elgedawy, left, posts up against Arame Niang during Hilltopper Hysteria on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, at Houchens-Smith. (Austin Anthony/photo@bgdailynews.com)

Even Ivy Brown had some nerves coming onto John Oldham Court for the Western Kentucky women’s basketball team’s first public display of the 2017-18 squad.

Brown, now a senior charged with leading a young team alongside fellow senior Tashia Brown, admitted the start of a new season can be just as nerve-wracking in the fourth year as the first.

“I’m not going to lie, I was a little shaky in warmups and I think I almost shot an airball,” Brown said. “Just to get out and show the fans what we’ve been practicing and stuff the last few weeks, it’s been fun.”

The Lady Toppers showed off plenty of new faces in the mix of the familiar ones like the Browns at WKU’s annual Hilltopper Hysteria event Friday night at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The defending Conference USA champions open the season with an exhibition at home against Union University on Nov. 2.

Fans watched the Lady Toppers scrimmage for 15 minutes of a running clock and got to see a wealth of new freshman on teams divided into white and black uniforms.

The White Team consisting of Ivy Brown, sophomore Whitney Creech and freshmen Raneem Elgedawy, Nichel Tampa and Terri Smith won 38-29 over the Black Team of senior Tashia Brown, junior Sidnee Bopp, redshirt sophomore Dee Givens, sophomore Arame Niang and freshman Sherry Porter.

The White Team pulled away from a tight scrimmage in the final minutes for the nine-point win.

“For the fans to see a little bit of (the freshmen) is good to see,” Ivy Brown said.

A pair of freshman led the White Team to the win. Tampa had 11 points and three assists and Elgedawy had 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and four rebounds. Ivy Brown had eight points and five rebounds.

“(Nichel) has been really consistent all summer and through the preseason,” Brown said. “She comes out and does what she’s supposed to and she’s not too flashy, but she’s going to take care of the ball like Micah Jones. I’m excited to see what she does, too.”

Tashia Brown had nine points for the Black Team. Bopp and Porter each had six points.

Bopp and Creech each played point guard for their respective teams, with Bopp likely to earn the starting point role this season.

“It’s completely different, but I’m ready for it,” Bopp said. “Last year’s confidence has carried over and I’m just ready to get on the court and win games.”

Held out of the scrimmage due to injuries were freshman Elizabeth Anderson, sophomore Malaka Frank, junior Kayla Smith and redshirt junior Alexis Brewer.

Hysteria would’ve been the only time fans could watch Brewer, who transferred from West Virginia in the summer and will sit out this season. Fans did get a glimpse of what the 6-foot-3 sophomore transfer Niang could bring next year.

The Senegal native who transferred from Kansai Gaidai University in Japan had a scrimmage-best six rebounds and four points.

Daniels leaves program

Junior college transfer JaNoah Daniels is no longer with the Lady Topper basketball program, Michelle Clark-Heard announced in a news release Friday.

Daniels was only a member of the team for a few months before deciding to “pursue other options” shortly after the beginning of the semester.

“Shortly after the beginning of the 2017 fall semester, transfer guard JaNoah Daniels decided to pursue other options for her basketball career,” Heard said in a news release issued Friday. “I support her decision and she is still enrolled at WKU. JaNoah is a phenomenal young lady and I wish her the best in the future endeavors.”

Daniels would’ve brought one year of junior college experience from West Georgia Tech. The 5-foot-9 guard from Acworth, Ga., played in 25 games with 11 starts and averaged 7.8 points per game last year.{&end}