INDIANAPOLIS – After battling with No. 2-seed Marquette for much of its first-round NCAA Tournament game on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, WKU Men's Basketball fell 87-69.
The Hilltoppers, playing in their first NCAA Tournament since 2013 after claiming the Conference USA Championship last week in Huntsville, Alabama, finish the first season under Head Coach Steve Lutz with a 22-12 record.
Tyrone Marshall finished with a career-high 21 points. He added six rebounds and five assists. Don McHenry had 11 points and eight rebounds, Khristian Lander had seven points, and Enoch Kalambaye, Dontaie Allen, Babacar Faye, and Rodney Howard each had six points.
The Hilltoppers heated up at the end of the first half, using an 18-2 run sparked by back-to-back 3-pointers from Allen to pull ahead by double digits before closing the period ahead 43-36. Marshall had 17 points by halftime – three from tying his career high – with four made 3-pointers, plus five rebounds, five assists, and a pair of blocks.
WKU fought back after Marquette went on a 15-2 run early in the second half and tied the game at 55-all with 11:55 remaining, but the Golden Eagles pulled away from there for the 87-69 final in the first-round tournament.
Follow the team on social media (@wkubasketball) for the latest news and updates on all things Hilltopper Basketball, and visit wkusports.com for more information.
