As Barbie once said… It’s Pink! 

WKU men’s basketball will play host to Florida International Thursday, for the team’s inaugural ‘Wear Pink’ Game. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT in Diddle Arena.

The recent road trip for the Hilltoppers was not as welcoming as the team would’ve appreciated. WKU dropped back-to-back games to conference opponents, New Mexico State and UTEP.

However, the road has led the Hilltoppers back to Diddle Arena and if one thing is true for this season, it’s that there’s ‘no place like home’. The Hilltoppers are currently undefeated in front of their home crowd, starting the season a dazzling 8-0, with conference wins against Liberty and Jacksonville State.

FIU head into the game with a 2-2 conference record, picking up wins against New Mexico State and UTEP, and losses against Liberty and Jacksonville State.  

The Hilltoppers come into the contest averaging 79.3 points per game, good enough for 64th in the nation, while ranking first in the country for offensive tempo, averaging 75.3 possessions per 40 minutes. The Panthers rank 128th in the country in scoring, putting up 76.3 points, while maintaining an impressive 59th in the country for tempo.

If there is anything that we know for sure, it’s that watching this game will be like watching a tennis match.

A major key to success for WKU will be staying dominant on the boards. WKU comes into the game in the top 25 for rebounds per game, a stat that plays a huge role in their possessions. However, FIU ranks near the bottom 10 percent in the country for rebounding.

The man leading the charge for WKU is junior guard Don McHenry. The Milwaukee native is averaging 14.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on incredibly efficient shooting. 

However, during McHenry’s cold spell at New Mexico State, a game in which he played 31 minutes and only scored one point, teammate Tyrone Marshall Jr. stepped up with 16 points. Marshall Jr. is averaging 9.3 points and 4.6 rebounds on 52.2% shooting from the field. 

Senior guard Javaunte Hawkins has been a human torch for the Panthers this season. The Missouri native is averaging 13.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on the year and has scored 20 points in five of the team’s last six games. 

This will be the 49th time these two teams have matched up. The Hilltoppers lead the Panthers 37-11 in the series, and hold a pretty dominant home record, going 18-4. 

You can tune in on ESPN+.