In the state of Kentucky there are two basketball programs that tend to grab most of the headlines, but the truth is that this state is full of tradition rich programs and down in Bowling Green the Western Kentucky program is one of the best in the country. The Hilltoppers basketball program has the 16th most victories in the history of the NCAA and has attained the 8th best winning percentage in NCAA history. The Street & Smith’s publication recently ranked the “100 Greatest Programs”, and WKU came in at #31.

In that rich history the Louisville program and the Western program share a common thread. In 1944 Bernard “Peck” Hickman was hired as the Cardinals head coach. Hickman was a star guard for WKU and Coach Ed Diddle during his college playing days. He was the first coach to lead our Cardinals to a championship on a national level winning the NAIB Championship in 1948. He never had a losing season in his 23 years as the Cardinals head man. The Cardinals and the Hilltoppers have played 77 times in their history and the battles have been pretty consistent through the years with WKU leading the series 39-38. The Cardinals have won the last five straight in the series including 79-53 last season at the Yum Center.

“We play them because of the amount of respect we have for their tradition and their basketball abilities. Why start a series with say a Memphis or Cincinnati when you’ve got a great school right down the road in state with unbelievable tradition. Why not do that? That is what I have always believed in and Western Kentucky is one of the great traditions in college basketball.”-Coach Pitino

The Hilltoppers are 5-4 this season winning four of their last five games. The key to their recent winning streak is their improvement in taking care of the ball. They have just 17 turnovers in their last two games after averaging 16.7 in their first seven. They are averaging 68.4 points a game shooting 43.2 percent from the field, 35 percent from three, and 68 percent free throws. Defensively they are allowing 68.8 points and their opponents are shooting 42.3 percent. T.J. Price is averaging 17.1 points and 5.9 rebounds to lead the Hilltoppers. Chris Harrison Docks is averaging 12 points, George Fant is averaging 11.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, and Trency Jackson is averaging 9.9 points. Western Kentucky hasn’t played a ranked team this season and the Cardinals will be the highest ranked team to come to Diddle Arena since #2 Georgetown on December 4th 1982.

“They are a pattern team and a great shooting team. They were down 18 at Ole Miss, a very good team this year, and came back and won the game because they shoot the three great. They like to control the tempo of the game, they are playing great basketball right now. The young man Price, their small forward, is playing outstanding. They shoot the ball real well and they have Fant inside, another senior – great size. So we have our work cut out for us getting ready for this first road game.”- Coach Pitino

WKU 2014-15 OVERALL RANKINGS Offense | Defense

2014-15 Kenpom Rankings
Overall- #128
Defense Adjustment Efficiency
-100.2 ranks 165th
Offense Adjustment Efficiency
-103.2 ranks 97th
-Per Kenpom game prediction he has the Cardinals winning the game 73-61 based on his indexes.

Our Cardinals are averaging 77.1 points a game and they are shooting 44 percent from the floor, 27 percent from three, and 60 percent from the free-throw line. Defensively they are allowing 52.9 points and their opponents are shooting 34.1 percent from the field. Montrezl Harrell has been leading the way averaging 17 points and 10.4 rebounds. He has had five straight double-double outings. Terry Rozier is averaging 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds, Chris Jones is averaging 12.9 points, and Wayne Blackshear is averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds. The Cardinals had a dismal performance in their last game and will need to come out from the start of this one playing inspired basketball if they want to take care of WKU on Saturday afternoon.

“More than anything we had some work to do to get ready for the road game. What we like to do right before conference play is go into a hostile environment, last year it was Kentucky and now it’s Western Kentucky, to get ready for conference play. It is going to be a very difficult game, they have a senior team, they are playing great basketball right now.”-Coach Pitino

This is Louisville’s first true road game of the season, and Diddle arena will be rocking. Those guys are going to be playing like starving dogs wanting to pull off what would be one of the biggest upsets at Diddle Arena in their history. Coach Pitino has made it very clear that he wanted to send a message to his guys this week. I really hope that message was received loud and clear because this one concerns me a bit. If our guys don’t come out and match the tenacity and intensity on Saturday they will get beat. If they can come out and take care of their business in what will be a very hostile environment the experience will be valuable heading into the conference slate.

The Beak Prediction:
Louisville 80 WKU 69