Tops’ Thedford named CUSA Freshman of the Week
Published 10:28 pm Monday, December 2, 2024
- Western Kentucky freshman guard Julius Thedford (13) looks to move the ball around Marshall redshirt junior forward Wyatt Fricks (3) in the Hilltoppers’ 90-82 win over the Thundering Herd at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky., on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. WKU improves to 4-3 in the season. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Western Kentucky men’s basketball freshman guard Julius Thedford has been named Conference USA Freshman of the Week, the league announced on Monday.
The Memphis native earns the award coming off a pair of stellar performances for the Hilltoppers last week that included a career-best 19 points in a home win over Marshall on Saturday, and 18 points in a hard-fought loss on the road at No. 8 Kentucky on Tuesday.
Thedford posted 19 points off 6-for-8 (.750%) shooting from the field and a 4-of-5 (.800%) clip from 3-point range in the Tops’ 90-82 victory over the Thundering Herd. The freshman guard also totaled three rebounds, one assist and a steal to go with the career-high point total in Saturday’s win.
Tuesday’s loss at Kentucky saw Thedford chart an 18-point, five-rebound performance in 24 minutes of action while connecting on 7-of-10 attempts at the free-throw line. Thedford added one steal while helping the Hilltoppers’ defense limit the Wildcats’ scoring output, holding Kentucky to its second-lowest point total of the season and lowest mark shooting from the arc so far in 2024-25.
Thedford currently charts as the Hilltoppers’ third-leading scorer with an average of 13.4 points per game. The freshman also leads the team in 3-point percentage with a .515% clip from range and holds the team’s second-highest field-goal percentage (minimum 10 attempts) at .540%.
The Hilltoppers will return to action in a road battle at Evansville on Saturday.
Tipoff from Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, is slated for 1 p.m. CT with ESPN+ broadcasting the event live.
