Blaise Keita posted a career night with 11 points, a team-best nine rebounds, a pair of blocks and a steal. Four Hilltoppers managed double figures in the scoring column in total, with Keita, Don McHenry, Tyrone Marshall Jr. and Jack Edelen all finishing with 11 points. Jalen Jackson led the team in assists with five.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hilltoppers cracked the scoring column at the 18-minute mark with Keita's runner under the basket to bring the early count to 4-2. McHenry then faked out a defender and hit from beyond the arc to give WKU the lead, 5-4, at the 17:29 mark of the first half. After the Bearkats regained the lead, Khristian Lander came in off the bench and fired from deep to give WKU an 8-7 lead with 14:51 to play before the half.
An 11-0 Sam Houston run combined with a nearly five-minute scoreless drought for WKU forced the Hilltoppers to take a timeout at the 10:08 mark, trailing 18-8. At the 9:13 mark of the first half, Edelen's jumper from the wing snapped the Tops' scoring drought and pushed WKU into double digits, trailing 18-10. The Bearkats would respond with a third triple, but McHenry found Edelen in the right corner for a three to cut the Tops' deficit to eight, 21-13, with 8:22 until the half.
McHenry faked out another defender and went up and around for the baseline layup to cut the deficit back down to single digits, 25-16, with 7:00 until the break. Another 11-0 Bearkat run combined with another WKU scoreless streak allowed Sam Houston to jump out to a 36-16 lead with 4:24 left in the first half.
Braxton Bayless connected on his first three to snap a 5:28 stretch without a field goal, cutting into the Bearkat lead, 38-21, with 1:24 left in the half. Jackson's floater from the middle of the paint would beat the halftime buzzer, and WKU entered the half trailing, 43-25, at the break.
Bayless connected on the first basket of the second half nearly two minutes in. After a Bearkat three, Keita connected on the conventional three pointer, cutting the margin down to 46-30 with 16:20 remaining in the second. Jackson found an open Edelen for his third triple, pushing him into double figures with 11 points. Marshall Jr. later connected on the hoop and harm, cutting the Bearkat lead down to 18, 57-39, with 12:18 remaining in regulation.
After Sam Houston jumped out to a 25-point, 67-42 lead, McHenry would lodge the team's fourth steal of the night and connect in transition to cut the Tops' deficit to 67-46 with 9:18 left in regulation. A 6-0 WKU run including a three-point play from Keita and capped by a Marshall Jr. three would bring the margin down to 69-52 and force Sam Houston into a timeout with 6:59 left in the game.
Jackson later connected from deep to cut the Bearkat lead down to 15, 72-57, with 3:55 left to play. Sam Houston once again pushed the margin back out to 19, 78-59, with 1:18 left in regulation. McHenry connected on a pair at the stripe with 30 seconds remaining, marking the final points of the night in the 78-62 loss to Sam Houston.
NOTABLES
- WKU utilized the starting lineup of Bayless, Keita, McHenry, Jackson and Jaylen Dorsey for the first time this season, marking the 17th different starting lineup variation for the Hilltoppers this season.
- The all-time series between the Hilltoppers and Bearkats now stands at 3-1 in favor of Sam Houston. The Bearkats are now 2-0 all-time in Diddle Arena.
- Blaise Keita had a career night charting 11 points on a 4-of-7 mark from the field. Keita was one rebound shy of a double-double, adding two blocks and a steal in 23 minutes of action.
- Don McHenry managed 11 points along with three assists, two rebounds and a steal.
- Jack Edelen posted a career-high 11 points highlighted by a 3-for-6 mark from beyond the arc. The sophomore added two rebounds and a steal in 28 minutes off the bench.
- Tyrone Marshall Jr. was the fourth Hilltopper to chart double figures on the night, also going for 11 points. Marshall Jr. managed six rebounds in 27 minutes of action.
- The Hilltoppers shot the ball at just a .338-percent clip (22-of-65). This is tied for the third-lowest field-goal percentage for WKU in conference play this season.
- WKU committed just seven turnovers compared to Sam Houston's nine. The Hilltoppers managed 14 points off those miscues. WKU has committed fewer than 10 turnovers on five occasions in conference play this season.
NEXT UP
Hilltopper Basketball continues its CUSA slate this weekend with a matchup hosting Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Feb. 22. Tipoff from E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. is set for 7 p.m. CT with the game streaming live on ESPN+.
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.
