Lady Toppers fall to #17/19 Vanderbilt

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU women’s basketball (2-3) fell to No. 17/19 Vanderbilt (4-0) on Wednesday evening in E.A. Diddle Arena, 87-49, to conclude a three-game homestand. The Lady Toppers will be back in Diddle on Wednesday, Dec. 3 after going on the road for the next two games.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Torri James, Tia Shelling, Salma Khedr, Zsofia Telegdy and Jeniffer Silva were the first five on the court for WKU for the second consecutive game. It was the first start of the season for Silva.

WKU was on the scoreboard first behind a made free throw from James. The Commodores was assessed an administrative technical foul before the game, and the Lady Toppers were rewarded free throws to start the game. James went 1-of-1 from the free throw line. After going back-and-forth the first few possessions, Vanderbilt rattled off a 10-0 run and never looked back from there. A three from Tatum Boettjer broke the drought and got WKU back within eight, but the Commodores came right back with a 6-0 run. Shelling scored the final five points of the quarter for WKU and helped WKU cut the lead down to 12 heading into the second quarter.

Another Boettjer three to start the second quarter got WKU back within single digits, but Vanderbilt outscored 23-10 the rest of the quarter to take a 46-24 lead into halftime. WKU was outscored 41-25 in the second half.

QUOTABLE

“Throughout the first quarter we had several good attacks, got to the rim, got nothing,” said head coach Greg Collins. “We have to continue to be more determined in the type of shot we’re taking so that we’re able to get a higher percentage chance of finishing that or getting a foul. We’re taking off-balanced shots, rushed shots. Even at halftime, I think the field goal attempt differential was three, but the made shots – they were shooting 50 percent and we were shooting 25 percent. We got shots, but we’re not finishing. One of the points we were trying to focus on was getting to the free throw line. We shot three free throws in the first half and two were from a technical. That’s not helping us. We only got in the bonus in the third quarter. We have to keep working. Most of the players on this team have a grand total of five games of experience right now except for Telegdy. We have to keep teaching, trying to learn and get better. Some of these players have only been here for a few months.”

NOTABLES

• Tatum Boettjer was the leading scorer for WKU with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. It was the second time this season that Boettjer has led WKU in scoring.
• Tia Shelling led the Lady Toppers on the boards with seven rebounds to go along with nine points.
• Zsofia Telegdy added seven points along with three rebounds.
• WKU made six 3-pointers in the game. It was only the second time this season the Lady Toppers have made six-or-more in a game.
• Vanderbilt is the first ranked team WKU has faced in Diddle Arena since taking on No. 13/17 Iowa on Nov. 13, 2018.

UP NEXT

The Lady Toppers will go on the road to take on Illinois on Wednesday, Nov. 26.