Lady Toppers come off much needed rest to face Bellarmine

Published 5:06 pm Friday, December 7, 2018

Western Kentucky forward Dee Givens shoots a free throw Wednesday, November 28, 2018, during the Lady Tops' 90-43 win over Morgan State at E.A. Diddle Arena. (Bac Totrong/photo@bgdailynews.com)

Western Kentucky has finally caught its breath.

The Lady Toppers’ home game against Bellarmine on Saturday will be the first game in a week for a team running full steam in the nonconference slate. WKU played seven games in two weeks and four during a five-day stretch. Not seeing the floor since a 68-56 win last Saturday at Arkansas-Little Rock is the longest period of rest for WKU.

Email newsletter signup

WKU has won two straight and wants to see if it can keep its rhythm going against the Division-II school from Louisville for a 2 p.m. tipoff Saturday.

“It was needed from a physical standpoint,” WKU coach Greg Collins said before practice Friday. “Psychologically, it was also needed because we played real tough competition close together. We played 10 games in less than a month and four in five days. These tests and challenges will pay dividends later in the season, but right now it’s good for these kids to get back and rested and for us to get back on the court and work on some things.”

Saturday’s game will count on the schedule for WKU, but not for Bellarmine. The game will act as an exhibition for Bellarmine, which needed a game to fill a two-week schedule gap just like WKU.

Bellarmine is the only game between WKU’s trip to Little Rock last Saturday and a matchup with Ball State at Diddle Arena on Dec. 16.

WKU and Bellarmine share a couple of connections.

Bellarmine assistant Candyce Bingham was an assistant at WKU for one season in 2013-14 before taking a job in her hometown with the Knights. She prepped at DuPont Manual in Louisville and played under Collins when he coached the Lady Crimsons.

Bellarmine freshman Presley Brown, who’s averaged 3.2 points in 11.3 minutes through six games, is the younger sister of recent Lady Topper alum Ivy Brown.

Fourteen of the Knights’ 18 players are from Kentucky. Bellarmine started the year 5-1 before its first loss of the year to Southern Indiana last Saturday.

“A lot of those kids are from the Louisville area and so they all grew up playing competitive basketball, they’re fundamentally sound and play hard,” Collins said. “They’re going to be as good if not better than some of the teams we’ve played.”

WKU’s win at Arkansas-Little Rock marked the first back-to-back victory stretch of the year after a grueling schedule against a handful of ranked teams. Dee Givens turned in her sixth 20-point game of the year last week and Raneem Elgedawy recorded her second double-double this year with 17 points and 21 rebounds.

“I want to see us continue to push the ball and share the ball more,” Collins said. “We’ve gotten better at moving the ball and getting good shots for the team, not just an individual. I want to see us compete. We’ve got several players coming off a stomach bug and illness. I still want to see us compete not based on an opponent, but who we are.”

Bellarmine (5-1) at Western Kentucky (4-6)

2 p.m. Saturday, E.A. Diddle Arena

Probable starters

Western Kentucky – Sherry Porter, g, 5-7, so. (6.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg); Alexis Brewer, g, 5-9, r-jr. (10.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg); Meral Abdelgawad, g, 5-11, fr. (7.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg); Dee Givens, f, 6-1, r-jr. (19.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Raneem Elgedawy, f, 6-4, so. (15.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg)

Bellarmine – Katie Downey, g, 5-6, jr. (7.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg); Kathleen Scott g, 5-8, fr. (3.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg); Lauren Deel, f, 5-11, so. (12.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Mallory Schwartz f, 5-10, jr. (7.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg); Ally Mayhaus, c, 6-2, jr. (7.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg)

Online Stream

C-USA TV

Radio

ESPN 102.7 FM or 1450 AM

Coaches

Greg Collins (4-6 first season), Western Kentucky; Chancellor Dugan (113-63 seventh season, 433-353 26th overall) Bellarmine.

Series

Western Kentucky leads 7-2 (Western Kentucky won last meeting 76-44 on Jan. 6, 1979).

Last time out

Western Kentucky won 68-56 at Arkansas-Little Rock last Saturday; Bellarmine lost 77-70 to Southern Indiana last Saturday.{&end}