Both the WKU football and basketball teams have signed deals that will impact the schedule for years to come. WKU seems to have a newfound interest in Southern Mississippi as both the football and basketball teams signed a deal with the Golden Eagles.
The terms of the football deal will bring the Golden Eagles to L.T. Smith stadium in 2012 and send the Hilltoppers to Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 2016 to complete the home and home deal. WKU reached the home and home deal with Southern Miss after proposed plans to travel to the University of Hawaii fell through. While many of the players would have enjoyed a trip to Aloha Stadium, the addition of the Golden Eagles comes with many benefits. First of all, the Hilltoppers added another home game to the schedule, giving WKU 6 home games for the 2012 season. Not only that, but WKU managed to bring a formidable opponent to L.T. Smith stadium. Southern Miss finished its 2010 campaign with its 17th straight winning season and its 13th Bowl game during that stretch. Although Southern Miss has had good success, they are definitely an opponent WKU can beat down the road.
The basketball deal is very similar to the football deal, because it is also a home and home deal. WKU will have to travel to Southern Miss for the 2012-2013 season, but will see the Golden Eagles in E.A. Diddle Arena the following season. WKU has had a short history with the Golden Eagles. The two teams have only faced off three times, and WKU won all three of those meetings. In those three contests, WKU outscored the Golden Eagles by an average of 19 points per game, granted WKU hasn’t seen the Golden Eagles since 2002.
In other news, the WKU basketball team also signed another deal with Louisville that will ensure the teams will face off through the 2015-16 season. The current deal will conclude with the upcoming year’s game in the KFC Yum! Center. The new deal will start in the 2012-2013 season and mirrors the current deal. The first game of the four game series will be played in Nashville, and then go back to Louisville for the 2013-2014 season. Louisville will then return to E.A. Diddle Arena the following season, before closing out the deal in Louisville for the 2015-2016 season. Although WKU could not work out a true home and home deal with the Cardinals, the opportunity to bring U of L back to WKU is a huge positive to the deal. While there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding WKU Basketball lately, it is certain that the Hilltoppers will play the Louisville Cardinals for the next five season.
Hopefully WKU can repeat this success from 2008, instead of last years blunder against Louisville.
Video Courtesy of WBKO
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