Tops to face Akron in Cayman Islands Classic opener
Published 11:37 am Wednesday, June 22, 2022
- Western Kentucky guard Dayvion McKnight shoots a free throw during the Tops’ 73-64 win against Old Dominion on Feb. 19 at E.A. Diddle Arena.
Western Kentucky’s men’s basketball team is slated to play Akron in the first round of the Cayman Islands Classic in November.
The Hilltoppers will face the Zips at 12:30 p.m. CT Nov. 21 at John Gray Gymnasium.
WKU holds an 8-2 mark over Akron, which finished with a NET of 126 and record of 22-10 in 2021-22. The Hilltoppers last played the Zips in Akron, Ohio, in 2001, winning 78-68. The series dates back to 1980, when WKU started the series with six straight wins.
The Hilltoppers will play Illinois State or LSU in their second game of the tournament on Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. CT or 12:30 p.m. CT. Illinois State finished the year 11-20 with a NET of 200, while LSU went 22-12 with a final NET of 20.
WKU is 16-13 all-time against the field, with the other side of the bracket featuring Kansas State, Nevada, Tulane and Rhode Island.
The Hilltoppers are guaranteed three games in the three-day tournament with the championship game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT Nov. 23.
This will be WKU’s first game outside the continental United States since it played in the Virgin Islands in 2019.
