WKU Men’s Basketball will renew an in-state rivalry Tuesday when the Hilltoppers travel to Rupp Arena to play the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats. 

The Hilltoppers are 2-5 all-time against the Wildcats with their last win coming in 2001. The most recent contest between the pair was a 95-60 WKU loss in 2021. 

“Tuesday will be quite a test and challenge for us and we’ll need everybody to be at their absolute best,” Head Coach Hank Plona said on the game at Kentucky.

After an 0-2 start the Hilltoppers have bounced back winning three in-a-row. WKU took down Campbellsville, Lipscomb and Jackson State consecutively. 

The Hilltopper defense has stepped up over the span, averaging 66 points to opponents over the three wins. WKU allowed 82.5 points per game in their losses to Witchita State and Grand Canyon. 

Offensively, WKU has four players averaging double-digit points. Senior guard Don McHenry leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.2 points per game on 44% shooting from the field.    

UK is off to a hot start in the first year under Head Coach Mark Pope. The Wildcats are 5-0 this season and averaged 97 points in those games, a mark which is fourth in the country. On average, UK has outscored their opponents by 30.4 points per game. 

“It looks to me like they’re shooting the ball at a very high level with a lot of confidence. They have four and sometimes five guys on the floor that can make shots,” Plona said. 

Like the Hilltoppers, the Wildcats have four guys averaging double-digit points. Transfer guard Otega Oweh is leading the charge, averaging 16.2 points per game. Right behind Oweh is another transfer guard, Koby Brea. Brea leads the nation in three point percentage, shooting 74% from behind the arc, and is averaging 16 points a game.

WKU and UK is set to tipoff at 5:30 p.m. The game can be watched on ESPNU

“I would anticipate that we’re going to walk into a very challenging environment against an elite-level team,” Plona said. 

Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected].