Lady Toppers Off to 2-0 Start to Season

Friday, November 10

Cedar City, UT

7:30 PM

Western Kentucky University

2-0,0-0CUSA

Southern Utah

0-2,0-0WAC

Western Ky.

Southern Utah

11/10/2023 10:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CEDAR CITY, Utah — WKU women's basketball is off to a 2-0 start to the season after a 76-62 win at Southern Utah on Friday night.

Acacia Hayes led the Lady Toppers with 21 points on the night. It was the third 20-point performance of her career and the most she's scored since dropping 24 points at UAB on Feb. 25, 2023.

Alexis Mead was the second Lady Topper in double figures with 11 points. Teresa Faustino had a career high seven assists along with a team-leading four steals.

WKU's defensive pressure forced Southern Utah into 25 turnovers and the Lady Toppers were able to capitalize on those miscues, scoring 34 points off of turnovers.

The 2-0 start is WKU's first undefeated start through two games since the 2014-15 season. It was also WKU's first road opener win since the 2016-17 season.

Caitlin Staley scored the first points of the game just 15 seconds after WKU won the tipoff. Southern Utah scored the next basket, but WKU went on a 7-0 run to take a 9-2 lead at the 5:07 mark. The Thunderbirds went on a run of their own, scoring eight straight points to claim their first lead of the game at 10-9. After a nearly two-minute scoring drought, Hayes knocked down the first three of the game for WKU with 22 seconds left. Southern Utah made two free throws in the final 10 seconds to bring the score to 14-12 going into the second quarter.

The Thunderbirds scored the first five points of the second quarter, but WKU responded with a 13-0 run to go ahead 27-17. From there, Southern Utah outscored WKU 7-2 to cut into that lead for a 29-24 halftime score.

Allen knocked down a baseline jumper to open the second half that kicked off a 6-0 run by the Lady Toppers to open the frame. The Thunderbirds stopped the run with a three, but Allen connected on her first three of the season on the next play. At the 5:00 minute mark of the quarter, WKU took a 20-point lead after Hayes hit a three, which was the biggest lead of the night for the Lady Toppers. After Southern Utah chipped away at the lead, WKU took a 54-41 score into the final quarter.

The two teams went back-and-forth to start the final quarter. Southern Utah cut it to 10 twice but were unable to get any closer.

WKU will be back in action on Monday, Nov. 13 against Cornell in E.A. Diddle Arena. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.

How to Follow the Lady Toppers: For complete information on Lady Topper Hoops, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @LadyTopperHoops on X, @LadyTopperHoops on Instagram and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUWomensBasketball.