Junior forward Jeremy Evans got a pretty friendly round of thank-yous a season ago following Western’s Sun Belt Tournament Championship win against Middle Tennessee State. His career high 20 points and season high 14 rebounds led the Toppers to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

After the Toppers’ 89-64 victory over LCC International University on Oct. 31, coach Ken McDonald said that the move from an assistant coach to a head coaching position gives him a new perspective on basketball games, literally. “There is no question that the biggest difference is that when you sit on the sideline, you don’t have to look through the head coach to watch the game,” McDonald said.

The Lady Toppers won’t be starting this season the same way they have in the past. In its opening weekend Western will play host to Murray State on that Friday followed by a visit from Vanderbilt on that Sunday. From Nov. 14 until Nov. 30 Western will play against three teams that made it to last year’s Sweet 16.

Sophomore guard/forward Steffphon Pettigrew isn’t pulling punches in his review of the new movie Saw V. “I didn’t like it,” Pettigrew said. “Thought it was too short.” And while Pettigrew’s critique of the flick didn’t get rousing reviews, the Toppers’ team chemistry thus far has.