Western Kentucky’s Dee Givens (left) and Sidnee Bopp (center) double team Florida Atlantic’s Raven Doyle on Saturday during the Lady Tops’ 82-63 win at E.A. Diddle Arena.

Western Kentucky has won five straight Conference USA games, partly due to the consistency of Dee Givens and Sidnee Bopp off the bench.

The next step for either player, Lady Toppers coach Michelle Clark-Heard said, is keeping that trend going.

Bopp and Givens have provided a dangerous one-two punch for WKU this season, demanding the attention of opposing teams even when Tashia Brown and Ivy Brown are on the floor. Bopp has come off the bench nine times this season and often provides momentum-shifting 3s, while Givens has provided a skill presence similar to Tashia Brown.

They’ll both try and keep that consistency going when WKU (17-5 overall, 8-1 C-USA) hosts Old Dominion (5-18, 3-6) on Thursday night for a 5:30 p.m. tip at E.A. Diddle Arena.

“Consistently for the rest of the season, we’re going to need both of them to play really big, and play big meaning how that game is going,” Heard said. “Last game, Dee didn’t shoot the ball very well, but defensively on the floor she gets rebounds. Everyone knows Sid can shoot, but Sid can guard and pass.”

The redshirt sophomore Givens started the first five games of the season, fell into a slump and has risen as the team’s leading scorer in C-USA play. She’s been the first player off the bench in four of the last seven games and ranks third on the team in scoring through nine league games, averaging 11.9 points per game on 37-of-78 (.474) shooting.

Before scoring nine points in last Saturday’s win over Florida Atlantic, the 6-foot-1 Lexington native scored double digits in six straight games.

Bopp is on pace for the Lady Toppers’ single-season 3-point shooting percentage record. The junior guard has made 8-of-16 (.500) shots from behind the arc in league play and is 30-of-60 (.500) on 3s for the season.

“Being able to do the things they bring to the table with a consistent effort is definitely what we need right now,” Heard said. “They have continued to grow every day in practice so they can be prepared to help us in any situation.”

At one point in the year, confidence was a concern for both players. Givens went through stretches of inconsistent scoring late in the nonconference schedule and was benched against Lee University in late December. Bopp had knee complications in five early C-USA games and didn’t score in minimal play.

Their recent play stretches the floor for Tashia Brown to continue leading the league at 23.2 points per game and for Ivy Brown to keep averaging a double-double (16.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg) every night.

“We both struggled with confidence at the beginning and we both found our way,” Bopp said after WKU’s win Saturday. “It’s definitely helping Ivy and Tashia; Raneem (Elgedawy) and (Whitney Creech) and everyone on the team. If we can get everyone else to do that and follow along, I feel we can be really amazing.”

WKU welcomes an Old Dominion team struggling to find offensive rhythm after losing its top three scorers from last season. The Lady Monarchs rank last in the league in scoring at 55.0 points per game and next-to-last in C-USA in scoring margin (-9.1). The Lady Toppers hold the league’s top offense (76.8 ppg) and rank second in scoring margin (12.4).

Reigning C-USA Freshman of the Week Victoria Morris leads ODU at 12.2 points per game. Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Nikki McCray-Penson replaced Karen Barefoot as the team’s coach in May. Penson was a two-time All-American at Tennessee from 1991-95 and got her coaching start as a WKU assistant from 2006-08. Before coaching ODU, she was an assistant for defending national champion South Carolina.

“I give a lot of credit to Nikki,” Heard said. “You take over a program that had a lot of kids transfer out and a lot of kids graduate, she’s done a phenomenal job. … They like to try to score in transition and they have a freshman that’s playing really well that can shoot the 3. They have pieces, so when you have pieces like that to put together, she’s trying to build them on that culture of what she’s trying to do there at ODU.”

Probable starters

Western Kentucky – Tashia Brown, f, 6-1, sr. (23.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg); Whitney Creech, g, 5-8, so. (7.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg); Ivy Brown, f, 6-1, sr. (16.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg); Kayla Smith, g, 5-11, jr. (1.8 ppg, 1.2 ppg); Raneem Elgedawy, f, 6-4, fr. (9.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg)

Old Dominion – Makayla Timmons, g, 5-7, jr. (9.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg); Victoria Morris, g, 5-8, fr. (12.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg); Ashley Jackson, g, 5-9, sr. (8.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg); Carley Brew, f, 6-0, r-jr. (0.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg); Odegua Oigbokie, f, 6-1, r-sr. (10.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

TV – Fox College Sports, WKU PBS

Radio ESPN 102.7 FM or 1450 AM

Coaches Michelle Clark-Heard (147-44 sixth year; 171-76 overall), Western Kentucky; Nikki McCray-Penson (5-18 first year; 5-18 overall) Old Dominion.

Series Record WKU leads 14-8 (WKU won last meeting 79-73 on Feb. 25, 2017).

Last time out Western Kentucky won 82-63 against FAU last Saturday; ODU won 68-60 over Florida International last Friday.{&end}