Western Kentucky announced its presence as a Conference USA contender Thanksgiving week. The Hilltoppers scored victories last month at the Battle 4 Atlantis against No. 18 Purdue and Southern Methodist, stoking optimism for the 2017-18 season.
WKU’s gone 4-3 since its return from the Bahamas, finishing the nonconference season 8-5 overall. The Toppers ended the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule Friday on a positive note, outscoring Austin Peay 42-23 in the second half on their way to a 72-55 road victory.
The nonconference season included highs (the 2-1 trip to Atlantis), lows (a loss at Ohio, ranked No.