Hilltoppers Fall at Middle Tennessee, 71-57

Saturday, January 18

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

6 p.m.

Western Kentucky University

11-7,2-3CUSA

Middle Tennessee

13-5,4-1CUSA

Western Ky.

Middle Tenn.

1/18/2025 9:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Game Book (PDF)

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – WKU men's basketball fell on the road at Middle Tennessee, 71-57, on Saturday night in Murphy Center. With the loss, WKU drops to 11-7 overall with a 2-3 record in Conference USA play.

Don McHenry led the Hilltoppers with 16 points along with four rebounds and a steal. Julius Thedford followed with 10 points off 4-for-7 shooting from the field, while Khristian Lander finished with nine points with five rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes of action.

HOW IT HAPPENED
WKU won the opening tip and Lander knocked down a fadeaway jumper from the elbow to open scoring for the evening. The Hilltoppers held MTSU scoreless for the next four minutes, forcing the Blue Raiders into four turnovers. MTSU entered the scoring column at the 14:59 mark with WKU up, 4-2.

Thedford became the second Hilltopper to record points with a made jumper to put the Tops up, 6-2. Thedford connected again on the next possession with a conventional three-pointer good for a five-point WKU lead with 12:48 left until the break.

Midway through the first, the Blue Raiders tied things at nine-all. Lander connected on a pair at the stripe to push the Tops into double figures and give WKU the lead back, up 11-9. Down 15-13, Tyrone Marshall Jr. connected on the first three of the game with 6:02 until the break to put WKU back ahead, 16-15. On the next offensive possession, Enoch Kalambay fed Thedford in front of the MTSU bench for a triple, forcing MTSU to take a timeout with WKU leading, 19-15, with 5:35 left in the period.

Tied at 21, Leeroy Odiahi grabbed an offensive board and fed Kalambay on the wing for a made triple. The Blue Raiders responded and with 1:48 until the break, WKU called a timeout with the game tied at 26 apiece. Braxton Bayless became the seventh Hilltopper to score with a made floater from the paint with 1:27 to play in the first half. WKU managed to hold for the final shot of the half but failed to connect, and the teams entered the half leading, 28-27.

Out of the half, MTSU took the lead but Lander connected on another three to give WKU a 31-29 lead at the 19:05 mark of the second period. Lander found a trailing McHenry for a three in front of the WKU bench to give WKU a 36-32 lead.

A 3:44 scoreless streak allowed the Blue Raiders to take a six-point lead before McHenry drove to the basket to pull WKU within 43-39 with 13:08 remaining. After falling behind by 12, a driving Marshall Jr. cut the deficit to 10 off a second chance lay-in with 8:39 remaining in regulation.

MTSU managed a 19-point lead before a four-point flurry by McHenry and Odiahi cut the margin to 15, trailing 65-50, with 4:27 to play. Kalambay would connect on a baseline jumper to bring the count to 68-54 late and McHenry would connect on a conventional three pointer before time expired with WKU falling to Middle Tennessee, 71-57.

NOTABLES

WKU used the lineup of McHenry, Jackson, Lander, Odiahi and Marshall Jr. for the second consecutive game. The group is now 1-1. This marks just the fifth time WKU has used the same lineup in multiple games.
Don McHenry led the Tops in the scoring column, charting 16 points along with four rebounds and a steal.
Blaise Keita had a team-best seven rebounds to go along with four points and a steal. His seven rebounds are a new season high for the redshirt senior.
WKU shot the ball at a .333-percent clip (21-for-63), the second lowest percentage for WKU this year and lowest in road contests.
The Hilltoppers' 21 made shots matches a season low. In all three of WKU's CUSA losses, the team connected on just 21 shots for each outing.
WKU grabbed 32 rebounds compared to Middle Tennessee's 42. In the first half, WKU had 18 boards compared to MTSU's 20. In the second half the Tops grabbed just 14.
The Hilltoppers committed 11 turnovers compared to MTSU's 13 turnovers. WKU also had nine assists compared to MTSU's seven.

NEXT UP
WKU continues conference play on the road next week and will travel to face Louisiana Tech on Thursday, Jan. 23. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network with tipoff slated for 6 p.m. CT live from Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, La.

Follow the team on social media (@wkubasketball) and visit wkusports.com for the latest news and updates on all things Hilltopper Basketball as the team continues its 2024-25 campaign.