Game Notes
Darryl Walker, the leading scorer in the G-MAC, will step into the Owensboro Sportscenter on Saturday to lead the Ohio Valley men's basketball team in its matchup against Kentucky Wesleyan.
And the No. 18 Panthers plan on using every defensive weapon they have to stop the 6-foot-3 guard.
"We will guard him with the kitchen sink if we need to," KWC coach Happy Osborne said.
That's the Panthers' defensive mindset against Ohio Valley, which enters the game with a 4-13 overall record and a 2-3 mark in the G-MAC but has one of the best frontcourts in the league in Walker, Markese Allen and David Sinickas, who combine to score 46.8 points per game.
"They are a very good offensive team, and we know they are very explosive," Osborne said. "They are good at ball screens, and we have to do a very good job against that. Our whole deal is how good are we defensively? (Saturday) posses another challenge for us with that.
"That frontcourt is really high scoring, and we know we will have our work cut out for us. Walker is big, strong and athletic. He is hard to stay in front of and is good at step backs and threes. He is a bulldog of a player, and their point guard Allen is more of a points guard."
Osborne said the Panthers last saw guard play this good when they played Louisville back on Nov. 9 in an exhibition game. Walker averages 19.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, followed by Allen at 16.8 points per game and Sinickas at 10.4 points per game.
Other projected starters for the Fighting Scots are 6-6 forward Artus Vitins (6.0 ppg) and 6-6 forward Robert Smelser (6.1 ppg).
The Panthers (16-3, 4-1 in the G-MAC) have won seven of their last eight games and earned a bounce-back victory Thursday against Salem International to get back on track after Monday's loss at Trevecca.
KWC is led by 6-foot-1 guard Ken-Jah Bosley, who averages 16.7 points per game. Other projected starters for the Panthers include 6-5 guard Jordan Jacks (14.5 points, 9.1 rebounds), 6-7 forward Devin Langford (14 points, 4.8 rebounds), 6-5 forward C.J. Blackwell (11.7 points) and 6-1 guard Marcus Fillyaw (7.4 points, team-best 4.1 assists). Fillyaw will start the game guarding Walker.
Marcus Fuggins, a 6-9 center who has started four games this season for the Panthers, returned Thursday from a shin injury but will sit out again Saturday after receiving two technical fouls following a scuffle with Salem International's Tyler Bell.
"It's really disappointing to play without Marcus Fuggins," Osborne said. "He should have walked away from him and just kept going, but it is what it is.
The 3:15 p.m. game is the second of three straight home contests for the Panthers, who are 12-0 at the Sportscenter this season and unbeaten against OVC in the four-game history of the series.
