1/19/2022 basketball Edit

Rick Stansbury previews Florida Atlantic matchup

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Drew Toennies • InsideHilltopperSports

Staff Writer

Rick Stansbury during the Hilltoppers' matchup against Kentucky. (Photo: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports) (Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports)

WKU head coach Rick Stansbury met with the media before noon on Wednesday to preview Thursday night's matchup against Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton.

The Hilltoppers concluded a three-game homestand last week and are on the road this week to take on conference foe FAU on Thursday before a rematch against FIU on Saturday.

"Any time you go on the road, it's an opportunity. Road games are not easy to win anywhere in college basketball and particularly when you play good opponents."

— Rick Stansbury

Stansbury talked about how challenging tomorrow night's matchup was going to be because of the environment of being on the road.

We don't have to play the environment, we just have to play the team in between the lines."

— Rick Stansbury

Stansbury also talked about how Florida Atlantic is looking like a major competitior within the east division of Conference USA, seeing as they led UAB for 35 minutes on the road in Birmingham, AL.

Stansbury said his team won't be needing to worry about the environment, but instead focus on the team.

"I hate it for Keith. He sacrificed a lot wanting to be here. He's been a terrific young man, he's been a great teammate and he would have helped us tremendously."

— Rick Stansbury

Stansbury also addressed the obvious elephant in the room in the Keith Williams and Zion Harmon situation that unfolded on Tuesday evening.

Fifth year guard and Cincinnati transfer Keith Williams had his appeal for eligibility outright denied by the NCAA while freshman guard Zion Harmon wasn't enrolled at Western Kentucky University for personal reasons.

Stansbury said that because Williams eligibility is now over, he will be searching for a professional role.

"Zion is still the same. We hate it for him, we're here to help him, but he's not enrolled for personal reasons. And again, moving forward, I just hope everything gets better for him."

— Rick Stansbury

Stansbury communicated that despite the dissapointing news regarding Williams and Harmon, the team has made it this far without them and will be focusing on the task at hand.

"Playing without Keith is nothing we haven't done all year long."

— Rick Stansbury

The Hilltoppers take on Florida Atlantic on the road this Thursday. The opening tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be aired over the CBS Sports Network.

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