BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball used an all-around team effort to roll past Campbellsville, 92-51, in a preseason exhibition victory Wednesday at E.A. Diddle Arena.
Six of the seven Hilltoppers who played scored in double figures, and WKU registered 66 points in the paint with 37 points off of turnovers in the rout.
The Tops shot 52 percent from the field, outrebounded Campbellsville 51-37 and registered 15 assists with just seven turnovers.
They were even more aggressive defensively, registering 15 steals. WKU has 27 steals across two exhibition wins after failing to record more than nine steals in any regular-season game last year.
Freshman guard Taveion Hollingsworth led all scorers with 20 points and seven steals, and freshman guard Jake Ohmer had 18 points with three 3-pointers.
Senior forwards Justin Johnson (16 points, 16 rebounds) and Dwight Coleby (13 points and 10 rebounds) both had double-doubles, and senior guard Darius Thompson racked up 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
Freshman forward Marek Nelson was 5 of 5 from the field with 10 points, including three lob dunks, and senior guard Tyler Miller chipped in three points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists.
WKU opened the game with a 19-7 run, but Campbellsville battled back with its own 10-0 burst to close its deficit to two.
But the Hilltoppers rattled off 13 straight points, then closed the first half with a 16-0 surge to lead 48-24 at halftime.
WKU eventually led by as much as 47 in the waning minutes.
Tim Coleman paced Campbellsville with 18 points.
The Hilltoppers improved to 57-4 all-time in preseason exhibition games and have won 25 straight preseason tune-ups dating back to a 2002-03 loss to the Harlem Globetrotters.
WKU wraps up exhibition play at home against Cumberland University at 7 p.m. Tuesday at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Phoenix are coached by Lonnie Thompson, the father of WKU senior guard Darius Thompson.
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