BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball turned in a highly efficient offensive effort Saturday afternoon, rolling past Austin Peay 97-75 at E.A. Diddle Arena.
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The Hilltoppers (2-0) shot 60 percent from the field, handed out 17 assists and netted 26 of 29 free throws (89.7 percent) to stay unbeaten in their young season.
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"We knew it'd be a different kind of style than we played the first game," WKU head coach Rick Stansbury said. "Totally different. It was more of a physical, aggressive, man-to-man defense. … Some good and bad, things to work on, but some areas I was very pleased with."
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WKU knocked down 11 3-pointers, led by graduate senior guard Camron Justice's hot shooting.
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Justice paced all five Hilltopper starters in double figures with 22 points, going 8 of 10 from the field and 5 of 7 from long range.
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Junior guard Taveion Hollingsworth tallied 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and sank 9 of 10 free throws.
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Redshirt junior forward Carson Williams added 12 points, six rebounds and four assists, and redshirt senior guard Jared Savage contributed 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
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Sophomore center Charles Bassey recorded his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds, and freshman guard Jordan Rawls chipped in eight points and five assists off the bench.
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Justice gave WKU a first-half lift with 17 points before the break, and the Hilltoppers ended the frame on an 18-7 run to lead 41-25 at halftime.
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"It's kind of an energy booster," Justice said. "I know we were kind of struggling a little bit early to get the ball in the basket, and I just kind of took the initiative to get down the lane and be in the heart of that defense, and I got some easy layups. From there, I just kind of caught a rhythm offensively."
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WKU got into the bonus before the first media timeout of the second half and continued to take advantage by making 13 free throws in each half.
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Austin Peay (1-1) eventually trailed by 25 in the final minutes.
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The Governors, who scored at least 99 points in their two exhibitions and opening regular-season win, shot just 39.7 percent from the field and 19 percent from 3.
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"The key was to switch up our defenses and come at them with a different defense," Hollingsworth said. "We've got to lock in. Film helps out a lot because we're watching plays. We really focus on film, and we play hard. It's more of an effort thing, really."
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Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year Terry Taylor paced Austin Peay with 22 points and seven rebounds.
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WKU will now play its third straight OVC foe to open the season when it visits Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m. CT Friday in Richmond, Ky.
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This is the first time since 2004-05 that WKU has faced three straight OVC foes. The Hilltoppers will be looking to start a season 3-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 Sweet 16 campaign.
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