Conference USA adopted a new scheduling method for this season. And the model only amplifies a budding rivalry between Western Kentucky and Marshall.

The Hilltoppers (8-7 overall, 1-1 Conference USA) and Thundering Herd (9-6, 2-0) will meet at 6 p.m. CST Saturday. CBS Sports Network will broadcast the battle from Huntington, W.Va., exclusively on Facebook.

It’ll be the first meeting this season between two opponents who could meet as many as four times.

“It’s more than just a basketball game between the two teams,” Marshall guard Jarrod West told HerdZone.com.

“They know that we’re pretty good and we know that they’re pretty good. It’s a young rivalry, but we’re excited for the game.”

C-USA changed its scheduling format this season to match its best teams heading into the end of the season. Each team’s final four regular-season games are determined by their performances over the first 14 league contests.

There are 14 teams in Conference USA. Programs play 12 teams in the league once over those 14 games, and face their conference designated-travel partner twice.

Middle Tennessee would be an obvious choice for WKU’s travel partner. The schools are separated by 1½ hours and have met 136 times since 1914-15. The Toppers have played the Blue Raiders more than any other C-USA program.

But Conference USA designated Alabama-Birmingham as MTSU’s travel partner. So WKU is instead paired with Marshall.

The teams have met 26 times since 1944, with the Hilltoppers holding a 15-11 lead in the series. Ten of those meetings have come since January 2015, when WKU joined the Thundering Herd as a C-USA member.

Coach Rick Stansbury’s Tops and coach Dan D’Antoni’s Marshall squad will tangle Saturday at the Cam Henderson Center, and then again Jan. 21 at E.A. Diddle Arena.

If the teams are both in the top five of the league standings after Feb. 16, they’ll meet a third time over the final four regular-season games – a portion of the schedule the conference labels as bonus play. Yet another battle could come in March’s Conference USA Tournament in Frisco, Texas.

WKU players and coaches anticipate an atmosphere Saturday in Huntington befitting a rivalry game.

Marshall has pushed for a sellout of the Cam Henderson Center. It’s conducted a “Stripe the Cam” campaign, directing fans to wear either green or white shirts depending on the section in which they’re sitting.

“We need to have some rivalries in this conference where people, when you go somewhere, it’s their Super Bowl,” Stansbury said Thursday. “That’s good. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

The teams met three times last season and produced three memorable games.

WKU guard Darius Thompson went off Jan. 6, 2018, for 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 112-87 Hilltopper rout in Huntington. He became only the second WKU player to record a triple-double.

“Last year, we went in there and they sold it out,” guard Jake Ohmer said. We didn’t hear anything because we just blew them out. Hopefully we do the same thing this year.”

The Toppers completed a regular-season sweep of the Thundering Herd last Jan. 27 with an 85-74 home win. WKU trailed 74-70 before scoring the game’s final 15 points in a frenzied E.A. Diddle Arena.

Then, Marshall got its revenge in March. Jon Elmore scored 27 points, WKU shot just 35.3 percent and the Thundering Herd nipped the Hilltoppers 67-66 in the Conference USA Tournament championship game.

The win in Frisco sent the Herd to its first NCAA Tournament since 1987. WKU was relegated to the National Invitation Tournament.

Ohmer, Josh Anderson, Lamonte Bearden and Taveion Hollingsworth are among the Tops who played in that loss and will hope for some payback Saturday night in Huntington.

“Until somebody beats (Marshall), they’re the best team in this league,” Stansbury said. “We have an opportunity Saturday to go against the best team in the league and see what we can get done.”

Notes

This season will be the first time WKU has opened conference play with three straight road games since 2002-03, when it began Sun Belt Conference action at Middle Tennessee, Little Rock and Arkansas State. … After the Marshall game, the Hilltoppers will have played 11 of 16 games away from home this season. That’s their most over a 16-game span to start a season since 2002-03, when they also started with 11 of 16 away from home. … WKU has made a 3-pointer in 991 straight games dating back to March 15, 1987. … The Toppers have shot 87 more free throws than their opponents this year and made as many free throws (236) as their opponents have attempted. … WKU center Charles Bassey has more blocks himself (38) this year than 73 Division I teams.

Western Kentucky (8-7, 1-1) at Marshall (9-6, 2-0)

6 p.m. CST Saturday, Cam Henderson Center, Huntington, W.Va.

Probable starters

Western Kentucky

Dalano Banton, g, 6-8, fr. (4.5 ppg, 5 rpg); Taveion Hollingsworth, g, 6-2, so. (15.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg); Josh Anderson, g, 6-6, so. (9.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg); Jared Savage, g/f, 6-5, r-jr. (14.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg); Charles Bassey, c, 6-11, fr. (14.6 ppg, 9 rpg)

Marshall

C.J. Burks, g, 6-4, sr. (17.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg); Jon Elmore, g, 6-3, sr. (19 ppg, 5.2 apg); Taevion Kinsey, g, 6-5, fr. (7.3 ppg, 3 rpg); Jannson Williams, f, 6-9, so. (9.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg); Jarrod West, g, 5-11, so. (6.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg)

Broadcast

CBS Sports Network on Facebook

Radio

100.7-FM

Coaches

Rick Stansbury (50-35, third year; 343-201 overall), Western Kentucky; Dan D’Antoni (82-67, fifth year; 82-67 overall), Marshall

Series record

Western Kentucky leads 15-11 (Marshall won last meeting 67-66 on March 11 in the Conference USA Tournament championship game in Frisco, Texas)

Last time out

Western Kentucky lost 69-66 on Saturday at Old Dominion; Marshall won 85-84 on Saturday at Charlotte