BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU women’s basketball sophomore guard Acacia Hayes has been named the Conference USA Player of the Week the league announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Through three games last week, Hayes averaged 20.7 points per game and shot 47.4 percent (9-19) from 3-point range, 86.4 percent (19-22) from the free throw line and 41.5 percent (17-41) from the field.

The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native started out the week with a 19-point, 4-assist and 2-steal performance in a win against Abilene Christian. She put up 20 points and three rebounds and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line in a win against Nevada in the Lady Bear Classic in Springfield, Missouri. She then followed up with 23 points against the host school Missouri State. Hayes scored 13 of her 23 points in that game in the fourth quarter when the Lady Toppers overcame a 15-point deficit with 5:03 left in the game to draw within one at the final buzzer.

Hayes has had an impressive sophomore season so far. She’s CUSA’s leading scorer, averaging 17.1 points per game and her 240 total points for the season lead the league and is the 25th most in the country. She has made 63 free throws this season, which is the 11th most of any player in the nation.

This is Hayes’ first conference Player of the Week honor. She was named CUSA Freshman of the Week twice last season.

Hayes and the Lady Toppers will be back in action against West Virginia State on Friday, Dec. 29 to close out non-conference play. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. in E.A. Diddle Arena.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football defensive back Upton Stout will return to the Hilltoppers, Stout announced Friday.

The redshirt junior from Houston has been one of the most productive players for the Hilltoppers in each of his two seasons with the program and was one of the most sought-after players in the country after entering the transfer portal, but he has elected to remain at WKU.

“Excited to return to WKU for the 2024 season,” Stout said. “I believe special things are ahead for this team and our defense and I can’t wait to be part of it. Let’s run it back.”

Despite missing five full games and a part of another in 2023 due to injury, Stout still put up impressive numbers. The hard-hitting defensive back posted 29 tackles, with 1.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks, an interception he returned 53 yards for a touchdown, eight pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery he returned 16 yards for a touchdown.

Stout made an instant impact as a redshirt freshman in his first season at WKU after transferring from North Texas. He started 11 games and played in all 14 during the 2022 season and recorded his first defensive touchdown in his first game with the Hilltoppers – a 34-yard pick-six. He finished the 2022 season with four interceptions and 44 tackles, and earned Freshman All-American Honorable Mention honors from CFN while also being named Conference USA Honorable Mention.

Stout has been a key piece in an explosive Hilltopper defense the past two seasons. In 2022, WKU forced 32 turnovers and scored six defensive touchdowns – marks that were both tied for first in the nation. As of Friday, WKU is third nationally in 2023 in turnovers gained with 26 and tied for 15th in defensive scores with three – two of which were scored by Stout.

WKU finished the 2023 season with an 8-5 record after a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Old Dominion, 38-35, in the Famous Toastery Bowl on Monday at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina – the program’s third straight bowl win and fourth in five seasons under Head Coach Tyson Helton.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — WKU women’s basketball (8-6) made a late push against Missouri State (6-3), coming back from a 10-point deficit with three minutes left in the game but were unable to complete the comeback, falling 69-68.

Acacia Hayes had her second straight 20-point game, finishing with 23 on 7-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. It was her fourth 20-point game of the season. Destiny Salary scored 17 points. Karris Allen led the team on the boards, pulling down seven rebounds.

Missouri State scored the first points of the game, but WKU used a 7-0 run to build an early lead. The Lady Bears converted one of two free throws to stop the run. From there, WKU outscored Missouri State 8-6 to take a 15-9 lead into the second quarter.

The Lady Bears opened the second quarter on a 12-0 run to retake the lead, 21-15. Destiny Salary knocked down a jumper to spark an 8-1 scoring run for WKU to retake a 1-point lead with 5:02 left in the quarter. Missouri State responded with a 9-0 run of their own. Josie Gilvin scored her first points of the game with 1:14 left and that would be the final points of the quarter. Missouri State took a 31-25 lead into halftime.

Missouri State went to the foul line 14 times in the first half, with 11 of their 31 points coming from the charity stripe. On the flip side, WKU took just five free throws in the first half.

Odeth Betancourt made back-to-back jumpers to open the third quarter, getting WKU back within two. Missouri State scored the next five points and outscored WKU 11-2 over the next five minutes to go back ahead by 11. A three from Alexis Mead got the Lady Toppers back within single digits, but the Lady Bears went back ahead by 10 after a pair of free throws. Missouri State went into the fourth quarter ahead 37-46.

The Lady Toppers had their best offensive quarter in the fourth, scoring 31. The lead hovered around 10 for most of the quarter, but the Lady Toppers made their comeback attempt starting at the 3:00 minute mark. An and-one from Hayes cut it to seven. After a pair of free throws from Missouri State, Salary knocked down a three with 1:52 to cut it to six. The Lady Bears converted another pair of free throws, but Salary repeated with another three to cut it to five with 1:09 left. Another WKU three, this time from Hayes, cut it to four after a layup from Missouri State. With 20 seconds left, Allen made a three to cut the score to two with 20 seconds remaining. On the last possession, Hayes was fouled on a 3-point shot with 0.09 seconds left. Hayes made the first two foul shots and attempted to miss the second but converted on the opportunity.

WKU will be back in action on Friday, Dec. 29 against West Virginia State at 6:30 p.m. in E.A. Diddle Arena in the non-conference finale for the Lady Toppers.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Hilltopper Basketball junior guard Don McHenry was named Conference USA Player of the Week, as announced by the conference on Monday. McHenry is coming off a week that saw the native of Milwaukee post back-to-back team-high point totals in wins over Wright State and Austin Peay and help WKU improve to 9-3 on the season.

McHenry earns the recognition after finishing Tuesday’s road game against Wright State with a career-best 30 points in a 91-84 win over the Raiders. The junior also tallied three rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal. Saturday saw McHenry follow up the performance with 16 points, a game-high six rebounds, three assists and a steal as WKU knocked off Austin Peay, 65-64, and earned its ninth win of the year.

McHenry’s layup with 2:27 remaining in the game against the Governors served as the game-deciding basket before the Tops leaned on defense to secure the win.

The 2023-24 CUSA Players of the Week awards are presented by Blenders Eyewear and are voted on by the league’s sports information directors.

2023-24 CUSA Players of the Week
Nov. 13    Kyle Rode, Liberty
Nov. 20    Kyle Rode, Liberty
Nov. 27    Lamar Wilkerson, Sam Houston
Dec. 4      Arturo Dean, FIU
Dec. 11    Elias King, MTSU
Dec. 18    Don McHenry, WKU

2023-24 CUSA Freshmen of the Week
Nov. 13    Elijah Jones, UTEP
Nov. 20    Ellijah Jones, UTEP
Nov. 27    Elijah Jones, UTEP
Dec. 4      Chris Loofe, MTSU
Dec. 11    Chris Loofe, MTSU
Dec. 18    Ben Southerland, Liberty

WKU returns to road play this week and travels to face Cal Baptist on Tuesday, Dec. 19. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. CT with ESPN+ set to broadcast the event.

Week one of Friday Night Hoops is in the books!

Maxwell Trink and Patrick Carey break down the big high school games in our area.

2023 FAMOUS TOASTERY BOWL

WKU (7-5 Overall, 5-3 Conference USA) vs. Old Dominion (6-6 Overall, 5-3 Sun Belt)
Date: Monday, Dec. 18
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. CT
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina | Jerry Richardson Stadium

NOTES

• WKU became bowl eligible for the fifth time in five seasons under Head Coach Tyson Helton with its 28-23 win over Sam Houston on Nov. 18. The Hilltoppers went to bowl games in each of Helton’s first four years as head coach, with wins in three of those, including last year’s R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. WKU went to nine bowl games in the 11 seasons leading up to the 2023 campaign, with a 6-3 record in those games, and the bowl game this year will be the 10th for the program in 12 seasons. WKU is one of 16 programs that has played in a bowl game each season since 2019 and is also bowling again in 2023, including just one of four Group of Five teams. The Hilltoppers are one of nine programs that have won a postseason game in both 2021 and 2022 and are bowl eligible again this season, and one of just three Group of Five teams in that category.
• In WKU’s 41-28 win at FIU in the regular-season finale, wide receiver Malachi Corley set the WKU Football program record for career receptions. He had six catches, including a touchdown reception, in the victory, and passed Taywan Taylor’s previous program high of 253 catches. Corley now has 255 career receptions as a Hilltopper, and he also ranks second in WKU history in touchdown receptions with 29 and third in receiving yards with 3,007.
• Corley highlighted numerous selections for WKU on Conference USA’s All- Conference Teams. Corley was picked for the CUSA All-Conference First Team Offense. Defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler and safety Kendrick Simpkins were named All-Conference Second Team Defense, and quarterback Austin Reed, offensive lineman Vincent Murphy, defensive back Anthony Johnson Jr., kicker Lucas Carneiro, wide receiver/kick returner Easton Messer, and long snapper Trey Naughton received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. WKU had 14 selections for the CUSA All-Freshman Team. Representing WKU on the CUSA All-Freshman Team on offense were receivers Messer, K.D. Hutchinson, and Moussa Barry; tight end Noah Meyers; and offensive lineman Evan Wibberley. Representing the Hilltoppers on defense were defensive end Deante McCray; linebackers Koron Hayward and Reginald Allen Jr.; and defensive backs Alex Ford and Nazir Ward. WKU claimed all four spots on special teams – no punter was selected – with Messer and Hutchinson at kick returner and punt returner, respectively, Naughton at long snapper, and Carneiro at kicker.
• The Famous Toastery Bowl will mark the eighth nationally-televised game WKU has played during the 2023 season and the second on ESPN, with the other being a 35-28 victory over Louisiana Tech in Ruston, Louisiana.

QUOTES

• “Very, very competitive football team. I think it says a lot about them that they win their last two games to get bowl eligible. It says that they’re a tough, gritty football team and highly motivated. It’s a great honor to be bowl eligible. I know, like us, they’re excited for the opportunity to play in this bowl game. They’ve got good skill players on offense. Their offensive scheme is good. They like to go fast. The quarterback is a good player, they’ve got good runners that run the ball extremely hard. It’ll be a good challenge for our defense, for sure. Then offensively they cause a lot of problems. They’ve got a good front, they like to blitz, they’ve got good blitz schemes, they get after the quarterback, their linebackers are good players, good coverage guys, they change up their coverages and their looks, so it’s going to be a tough day for us offensively as far as trying to figure out what’s going on. We’ve got to be hitting on all cylinders offensively in the first couple of drives so that we can get them figured out. Overall, they’re a really good football team and it should be a good matchup. Our guys are excited to play. That’s what you want in a bowl game. You want two good football teams that are motivated that are both excited to be there. It’s important to us. We like to go to bowl games, but it’s important to us to try to go win a bowl game and get that trophy, so we’re definitely going to go try and do that.” – WKU Head Coach Tyson Helton, on facing Old Dominion in the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl.
• “Of the programs I’ve been a part of, we’ve all done a pretty good job of using the bowl practices as kind of your stepping stone or another spring ball, really, getting ready for the next season. You’re using it as an opportunity to get your young guys some reps, your backups, guys that haven’t played very much this season because you’re kind of afforded the opportunity to take some time. You’re not focusing on playing week after week. You’ve got a little time to prepare. I think we took that opportunity as an offense to get some guys some reps and I think we’re going to finish up with about seven or eight practices as we’re getting ready before the game to maximize those opportunities.” – WKU Offensive Coordinator Drew Hollingshead, on practicing during bowl season.
• “I’m really enjoying practice just because, like coach had mentioned earlier, I guess in the last two years I feel like I’ve got close with a lot of these players on our defense and, in a lot of the cases, I feel like this is kind of like my last week with them. I don’t know, I sound like a big old sap, but that makes me sad. Anyway, there’s a lot of those guys I care a lot about and I’m going to try my best to enjoy my last week with him as much as we can and try to shift our focus to winning the football game. That’s kind of what these bowls are for me.” – WKU Defensive Coordinator Tyson Summers, on bowl season and preparing for Old Dominion.

LAST TIME OUT

• Malachi Corley broke the WKU Football career receptions record, the WKU defense forced three turnovers, and the Hilltoppers concluded the regular season with a 41-28 win over FIU at FIU Stadium. WKU finished with 407 yards of offense in the victory, with 333 coming through the air. Starting quarterback Austin Reed threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns on 26-of-35 passing in three quarters of action. Corley caught six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, and passed Taywan Taylor for the program’s career record for receptions. Corley now has 255 catches as a Hilltopper. Easton Messer added 38 yards and a touchdown on four catches, Jimmy Holiday had 45 yards and a touchdown on two catches, Craig Burt Jr. had 42 yards and a score on two receptions, and K.D. Hutchinson caught a touchdown pass. Dalvin Smith also threw a touchdown pass on a trick play. Upton Stout recorded his second defensive touchdown of the season on a scoop and score in the first half – it came off of Kendrick Simpkins’ fourth strip sack of the season. Talique Allen and Alex Ford had interceptions in the win. Kylan Guidry and Niko Cooper each finished with a team-high five tackles.

ABOUT OLD DOMINION

• The Monarchs enter the 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl with a 6-6 overall record and a 5-3 record in Sun Belt Conference play this season. Old Dominion won its final two games of the regular season against Georgia Southern and Georgia State to become bowl eligible for the second time in three seasons under Head Coach Ricky Rahne and third time in program history.

SERIES HISTORY

• The 2023 Famous Toastery Bowl game will mark the eighth meeting between WKU and Old Dominion and the first since the two met regularly as foes in Conference USA – the Monarchs have since joined the Sun Belt Conference. The Hilltoppers hold a 6-1 advantage in the series with wins in the last two meetings, including a 43-20 victory in Norfolk, Virginia, the last time the two programs met during the 2021 season. Old Dominion’s only win in the series came during the 2018 season when the Monarchs beat the Hilltoppers 37-34 at Houchens-Smith Stadium.