Jan. 25, 2001
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Chris Marcus notched his eighth straight double-double (and 13th in 19 games) with 18 points and 18 rebounds to lead Western Kentucky to a 79-61 win over Arkansas State on Thursday night.
Nashon McPherson added 13 points and a career-high 11 rebounds (along with a career-best four blocked shots) for the Hilltoppers (14-5, 7-1 Sun Belt), who won for the fourth straight time and the eighth time in the last nine games. Also in double figures for Western were David Boyden and Mike Wells (off the bench) with 11 each.
Nick Rivers scored 16 and Jason Jennings added 12 to lead the Indians (12-8, 6-2) in the Sun Belt Conference East Division showdown. However, the 79 points ASU surrendered was the Indians' high against a SBC team this season.
Western Kentucky outrebounded Arkansas State 48-28, equalling the Toppers' biggest margin of the year on the boards, and never trailed in the contest.
The Hilltoppers opened the game with a 16-2 run. The Indians trimmed the deficit to seven, but Western pushed it to 11 by halftime. Arkansas State went just 10-of-35 from the floor (29 percent) in the opening half.
The Indians got no closer than seven in the second half and WKU led by as many as 22 (77-55) in the final minute.
Arkansas State shot just 38 percent (25-of-66), including 24 percent (4-of-17) from 3-point range. It was the 10th time in 12 Western home games to date that the Hilltopper defense has limited the opposition to sub-40% shooting.
Western Kentucky sank 18 of 21 free-throw attempts, a season-high 85.7%.
Hilltopper sophomore guard Filip Videnov, who had started 11 straight games, sat out the contest nursing an injury. He is expected to be ready for the Toppers' road game at Florida International in Miami Saturday (Jan. 27) evening.
