Hilltoppers Fall to FIU in CUSA Championship First Round

Tuesday, March 11

Huntsville, Ala.

8 p.m.

Western Kentucky University

17-15,8-10CUSA

FIU

10-22,3-15CUSA

FIU

Western Ky.

3/12/2025 12:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – WKU men's basketball fell to FIU, 64-61, in the first round of the CUSA Championship on Tuesday night in VBC Propst Arena. With the loss, the Hilltoppers wrap the 2024-25 campaign with a 17-15 final overall record.

Braxton Bayless led the Tops in the scoring column with 12 points on 5-of-8 from the field along with four rebounds and a team high of two assists. Tyrone Marshall Jr. led the team in rebounds with eight while adding eight points, one steal and a block.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After an opening bucket by FIU 11 seconds in, the Tops got on the board with a driving layup by Jalen Jackson to even the count at 2-2 a minute into the game. Tied at 6-6 at the 15:58 mark of the first, WKU went on a 12-2 run over the next nine minutes to take a 10-point, 18-8 lead with 6:57 remaining in the first half. WKU extended its lead to 25-12 as Khristian Lander connected on a second-chance tip-in with 3:28 left in the first. After a response by the Panthers, Lander pushed the Tops' lead back to 13, 27-14, with a driving layup off a fast break with 1:19 to play until the break.

To that point, the Tops held FIU to a 0-of-11 clip from range and just 6-of-31 (.194%) shooting from the field.

With a minute remaining in the half, FIU responded with a three then a made jumper outside the paint to cut the Tops' lead to eight, before a steal and last-second three from deep at the buzzer fell and narrowed the margin to just five, 27-22, entering the half.

Returning for the second half of action, Bayless hit on a layup 30 seconds in to push the Hilltopper lead back out to seven, 29-22. A made free throw by Don McHenry pushed the Tops' lead back into double-digits and gave WKU a 10-point, 34-24 advantage with 16:57 remaining in the game. The Panthers responded with an 8-0 run to bring the count to 34-32 with just over 14 minutes remaining.

WKU maintained a lead for the next five minutes of play before FIU evened the count at 42-42 for the first time since the 15:58 mark of the first. A made pair at the line by the Panthers then gave FIU a lead in the game for the first time since the 19:28 mark of the first. A 1-of-2 trip to the line by Marshall Jr. evened the score again at 45-all before FIU reclaimed a lead, 48-45, following a three-point play with 6:35 remaining in regulation. WKU answered with its own three-point play as Enoch Kalambay connected on a second-chance layup in the paint, and one, to bring the count to 48-all with six minutes to play.

Blaise Keita muscled in the paint for a bucket to regain a two-point, 52-50 lead in favor of the Tops with 4:35 left in regulation. FIU deadlocked the score at 52 with another 2-of-2 trip to the line, then regained a two-point lead off a second-chance layup in the paint with 2:32 to play in regulation. After 1-of-2 made free throws by both teams, Marshall Jr. once again tied the game at 55 with a made layup with 1:14 to play. After FIU answered with another successful 2-of-2 trip to the stripe, WKU turned the ball over with 34 seconds remaining in the game and FIU pushed its lead to six, 61-55, off two more successful trips at the stripe. With 10 seconds remaining, McHenry connected on a triple, and one, for a four-point play to cut the Tops' deficit to two.

FIU went 1-of-2 at the line to push its lead to three with seven seconds to play. A drawn foul and made pair by Bayless narrowed the margin to one, 62-61, but another 2-of-2 trip at the line for FIU extended the Panther lead back out to three. A last-second three by McHenry at the buzzer was off the mark, and WKU fell to FIU, 64-61.

NOTABLES

WKU utilized the starting lineup of Bayless, Keita, McHenry, Jackson and Marshall Jr.
Braxton Bayless led the Tops in scoring with 12 points on 5-of-8 from the field with four rebounds and a team best two assists.
Tyrone Marshall Jr. led the team in rebounding pulling down eight and adding eight points, one steal and a block.
Enoch Kalambay was the second Hilltopper to chart double figures scoring with 11 points on 5-of-9 from the field with four boards and one assist
Despite holding the Panthers to just .316% shooting from the field and .190% from the arc, the Tops struggled to connect shooting on the offensive end, charting a .356% mark from the field and just 5.6% (1-of-18) from range. The Tops' only three of the night came with just 10 seconds remaining as Don McHenry connected on a four-point play following a drawn foul on the shot attempt.
WKU held a lead in the game for 27:34 compared to just 4:29 for FIU. The game saw four lead changes and nine ties.
WKU outscored FIU in the paint, 40-22, and connected on 16 second-chance points to the Panthers' nine
The Hilltoppers are now 41-14 all-time in matchups against the Panthers.

QUOTABLE
"We have a senior leading group," head coach Hank Plona said. "It's obviously heartbreaking, we've had a year full of ups and downs. There's been a lot of obstacles in the way and a lot of challenges, and these young men have worked very hard all year. To continue to persevere and continue to play with maximum effort and togetherness, and for that I cannot be more proud. Obviously, a tough day here. The cold hard reality is that most seasons do end with a tough defeat. We were hoping that was not going to be today but unfortunately it was. Very proud of the fight that we showed and the togetherness that we played with. Obviously, we wish we could have had a different result."

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 enters the offseason.