Most of the attention for Western Kentucky during the offseason was on players the Hilltoppers retained and Division I transfers head coach Rick Stansbury brought in.

But two others could make an impact this season.

Junior college transfers Tyrone Marshall and Fallou Diagne have impressed so far during preseason practices and in the team’s exhibition wins over Montevallo and Georgetown College last week.

Marshall – nicknamed “Woo” – is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound junior who comes to WKU from Colby Community College. The Nashville native was an all-state selection his senior year of high school and a finalist for Tennessee Mr. Basketball, and last year in junior college averaged 16.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in 31 games, including 30 starts.

“You watch us a little bit and you’ll see this in him – he’s one of those throwback guys a little bit,” Stansbury said at the team’s media day. “We call him our junkyard dog, and that’s a good statement because he’s wide open every possession. He’s probably our best athlete running and jumping, so you mix running and jumping with one of your hardest players – good combination.

“The next thing he has to learn is just how to play a little bit, let the game slow down for him, but I’ll take a guy that’s wide open learning how to let the game slow down a little bit than trying to speed up a guy to make him play hard. Woo has shot the ball better than we probably thought. He’s been really good for us – really good. He brings a different edge with his effort and toughness.”

In his first action at E.A. Diddle Arena, Marshall provided an immediate spark off the bench. He had six rebounds in his first six minutes, and finished the game with nine points – including a made 3-pointer – six rebounds and a block.

“I love defense, I love rebounding and I just love doing things that some players don’t want to do, like dive out of bounds for the ball, get on the ground, guard their best guy,” Marshall said after the game.

In Saturday’s 88-68 win over Georgetown, he had eight points, five rebounds and two steals.

“One thing we appreciate with Woo is we know we’re going to get his hardest every single day, and he’s going to do it with a smile on his face every single day,” WKU forward Jairus Hamilton said. “We just appreciate everything Woo’s bringing to us right now. He’s got a great role on our team. It’s going to continue to grow, so we’re just ready to see where he goes, man. He’s got a lot of potential in him.”

Diagne had a tough path to get started at WKU, but has played well so far.

Th 6-foot-11, 205-pound Dakar, Senegal, native came to WKU from Northwest Florida State College, but had to work back from a torn ACL suffered shortly after he signed with the Hilltoppers. Diagne was cleared for contact about a month before the team opened practices, Stansbury said.

“He’s probably been the biggest surprise of anybody, is Fallou – 6-11 kid. He’s been really, really good. Can really, really shoot the basketball at 6-11. One of our better shooters on the team,” Stansbury said before the team’s first practice. “Everything else about him, I didn’t know where he would be. All of it’s way ahead of schedule – his feel, his mobility, his ability to score in that post a little bit. He’s been really good.”

Diagne had 10 points – including a made 3-pointer – three rebounds and two steals in 13 minutes against Montevallo, but went scoreless against Georgetown with four rebounds and a steal in nearly 15 minutes.

“I think one thing with him is his dedication,” Hamilton said. “He’s my roommate, so this guy’s always watching basketball. He’s never not. You’re going to see him always watching a game, watching some type of highlights. He’s always trying to keep getting better. He always wants to get in the gym. He’s pushing me and making me want to get up and get into the gym on the weekends, too. He’s going to be a big-time talent because he’s got that dedication.”

WKU’s Division I transfers included Dontaie Allen from Kentucky, Khristian Lander from Indiana and Emmanuel Akot from Boise State, as well as Jordan Rawls, who returns to the program after beginning last season at Georgia State. WKU also saw the return of Hamilton and 7-foot-5 center Jamarion Sharp this offseason after both tested the transfer portal.

The Hilltoppers are scheduled to open the regular season Thursday with a 6 p.m. CT game at Eastern Kentucky.