BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball came out with laser focus in front of a memorable crowd Thursday, rolling past Louisiana Tech 65-54 at E.A. Diddle Arena.
The Hilltoppers (15-8 overall, 8-3 Conference USA) built a 20-point halftime lead and stymied the Bulldogs on defense all night in front of 5,769 fans decked out in black for a Diddle Blackout, complete with black jerseys for the home squad.
The victory ties WKU and Louisiana Tech for second place in the C-USA standings – one game behind North Texas at 9-2.
"I thought our guys physically and mentally had that edge with us, particularly in the first half," WKU head coach Rick Stansbury said. "I thought our press was good for us. We were able to score enough to get set in it, and I think that kept them from really getting in a rhythm."
WKU shot 63.6 percent from the field in the first half and used a 17-6 run to open up a 36-20 advantage with 3:34 to play in the frame.
The Hilltoppers made their final seven shots of the half, including a layup by freshman guard Jordan Rawls at the buzzer to make it 44-24.
Rawls finished the game with a career-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including a 3-for-7 clip from 3-point range.
"We just wanted to bounce back," Rawls said. "A lot of that had to do with the fans in Diddle. We appreciate them coming out, and that gave us energy."
Louisiana Tech (17-6, 8-3) went on an 8-0 run early in the second half, and the Bulldogs got back within 53-43 with 11:12 remaining.
Junior guard Taveion Hollingsworth stopped the run with two free throws, and the Tops later scored six straight to keep Louisiana Tech at bay. The Bulldogs scored the final seven points in the last minute to shrink the ultimate deficit.
WKU redshirt junior forward Carson Williams finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while graduate senior guard Camron Justice returned from a back injury to score 11 points off the bench, including two 3s.
WKU forced 15 turnovers and outscored Louisiana Tech 17-4 on those miscues. The Hilltoppers netted 19 of 23 free throws, while the Bulldogs made just 2 of 4.
"It really just started with the energy for us and from the crowd," Justice said. "We kind of got going and got in a rhythm. The ball was moving well and wasn't sticking, and then some dudes knocked down some shots for us, so it was good."
DaQuan Bracey led Louisiana Tech with nine points.
The Hilltoppers remain home to host Southern Miss at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena. The game will stream online on Stadium on Facebook.
Western Kentucky University Athletics
- Champions Climb Here
- WKU Athletics
- Athletic Director
- Academic Services
- Annual Report
- Athletic Communications
- Athletic Hall of Fame
- Athletic Training
- Big Red
- CLIMB Program - NIL
- Compliance
- Facilities
- Financial Reports
- For Students
- Student Employment
- Forms/Requests
- Book Big Red
- Donation Requests
- Site Feedback
- For Fans
- Hilltopper Highlights
- Gameday Promotions
- Alumni Tailgates
- Big Red's Rascals
- Basketball Gameday
- Football Gameday
- Mobile Tickets
- Travel Center
- Tickets
- Give
