Fresh off a 2-1 showing in the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic in South Dakota over the Thanksgiving holiday last week, Western Kentucky is now set to begin play in another bubble event.

With wins over Northern Iowa and Memphis and a narrow loss to No. 15 ranked West Virginia, the Hilltoppers will return to action Tuesday night against in-state opponent Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT, with the game being broadcast on the ACC Network.

“They’re a very good team,” WKU coach Rick Stansbury said of Louisville. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re a Top 25 team. They can put a lineup on the floor. They’re really big and physical. That’s a big, strong, powerful team. They’re a very, very good team and one of the better teams in the country.”

WKU trails the all-time series 41-39 against the Cardinals — who are off to a 3-0 start to the 2020-21 campaign with wins over Evansville, Seton Hall and Prairie View A&M — and has lost the last eight meetings, including last season’s 71-54 decision at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

“That’s something we’ve been thinking about — the loss last year,” WKU senior guard Josh Anderson said. “It’s kind of like motivation for the game. It’s just in the back of our minds. We don’t want to go out like that, and that’s something we keep telling each other; ‘We can’t have another game like last year.’ That’s going to be motivation for us tomorrow.”

Through three games, graduate transfer point guard Carlik Jones is leading Louisville with 17.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per outing, while redshirt freshman forward Jae’Lyn Withers is averaging 13.0 and 6.7. In addition to that duo, sophomore forward Samuell Williamson (11.5 and 4.5) and sophomore guard David Johnson (10.7 and 4.7) are combining for 22.2 points and 9.2 boards each game.

Senior guard Taveion Hollingsworth is leading the Hilltoppers with 19.0 points per game on 45.2% shooting, while junior center Charles Bassey is averaging 15.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.7 blocks just three games back since suffering his season-ending injury last December vs. Arkansas.

“We learned that we’re really good — and that we can compete with anybody in the country,” WKU redshirt senior guard Kenny Cooper said of the Hilltoppers’ start to the year. “We’re just going to continue to play hard and continue to take the mindset that we’re one of the best teams in the country. We look forward to tomorrow.”