Plona’s first WKU team will be ready to roll

It is a new age in college basketball and, generally speaking, it is an age in which older, stronger, more seasoned teams have the most success over the long haul.

John Calipari learned this the hard way in March, when his Kentucky Wildcats were stunned by Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament — a result which helped set in motion Cal’s departure from Big Blue Nation to, of all places, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

No such problems should present themselves for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in 2024-25, as former WKU assistant Hank Plona takes the helm from Steve Lutz, who accepted the head job at Oklahoma State after leading the Toppers to their first CUSA Tournament championship and their first NCAA tourney appearance since 2013.

While the personnel situation is fluid at Western — just like it is all over the nation in these changing times of NIL and the NCAA transfer portal — according to the latest Hilltopper Roster Tracker online by The Towel Rack, the roster for the coming season should be filled with experienced players who know how to win, and this will be a feather in Plona’s cap as WKU looks to build on last season’s success.

Among the top expected returnees is 6-foot-3 senior guard Khristian Lander. The lefty sharpshooter, who originally signed with Indiana, averaged 9.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game last season, shooting 41% from the floor, 35% from distance, and 75% from the foul stripe.

Also expected to return is dynamic 6-7 senior forward Tyrone Marshall, who was the Hilltoppers’ best performer in a first-round NCAA tourney loss to Marquette, scoring 21 points on 6-of-8 floor shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. For the season, Marshall averaged 8.8 points and 2.2 assists, while leading the team in blocks (36) and steals (50).

Another potential returnee is 6-2 senior combo guard Don McHenry, who led the team in scoring (15.1 ppg), while shooting 46% from the floor, including 36% from 3-point range. McHenry was a…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/plonas-first-wku-team-ready-091600083.html

Author : Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

Publish date : 2024-06-07 09:16:00

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