WKU MBB: Hilltoppers Improve to 2-1 in CUSA Play With 66-61 Win Over LA Tech

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball defeated Louisiana Tech 66-61 to improve to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in Conference USA play on Sunday afternoon inside E.A. Diddle Arena.

WKU (9-5, 2-1 CUSA) built an early double-digit lead and withstood a late push from Louisiana Tech (8-6, 1-2 CUSA) to secure the win. The Hilltoppers led by as many as 15 points early in the second half before timely baskets from Ryan Myers, LJ Hackman and Teagan Moore helped steady the momentum to stem the Bulldog rally. Myers and Hackman then sealed the victory at the free throw line, capping a 6-0 run to preserve the five-point victory. Moore paced the Hilltoppers with 19 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, while Ryan Myers added 13 points and Grant Newell hit four 3-pointers for 12 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• WKU opened the game with a strong defensive effort, holding Louisiana Tech scoreless through the first five minutes while building a 7-0 lead at the first media timeout. Grant Newell started the scoring with a 3-pointer, followed by a free throw from Noah Boyde and a triple from Teagan Moore.
• The Hilltoppers maintained their advantage through the next eight minutes of the first half, leading 20-14 with 7:45 remaining. During that stretch, Moore added five points, Ryan Myers connected on his first 3-pointer, Newell hit his second from deep and Boyde went a perfect 2-for-2 from the line.
• WKU extended its lead into double figures late in the half thanks to five combined free throws from Moore and Armelo Boone, along with two more 3-pointers from Myers. The Hilltoppers went up 31-20 with 3:56 to play in the opening period.
• The lead grew to 12 at halftime after Kade Unseld and Newell each knocked down a triple, sending WKU into the break ahead 37-25.
• Early in the second half, the Hilltoppers stretched their advantage to a game-high 15 points as Moore drained his third 3-pointer and Boone finished at the rim to make it 42-27.
• Louisiana Tech mounted a comeback midway through the half, holding WKU to just seven points over the next 10 minutes. The Hilltopper scoring during that stretch came from a Newell 3-pointer, a Boyde layup and two Moore free throws, cutting the WKU lead to 49-46 with 7:53 left.
• The Bulldogs eventually tied the game at 51-51, but timely baskets from Myers, LJ Hackman and Moore helped WKU regain the lead, 60-57, with under two minutes remaining.
• After Louisiana Tech briefly went ahead 61-60 in the final minute, clutch free throws from Myers and Hackman fueled a 6-0 closing run, sealing a 66-61 Hilltopper win.

NOTABLES

• WKU improves to 9-5 overall, 7-1 at home, 2-1 in Conference USA play and 24-23 all-time against Louisiana Tech.
• Tonight’s starting five featured Ryan Myers, Armelo Boone, Teagan Moore, Grant Newell and Noah Boyde.
• The announced attendance was 3,523.
• ​Three Hilltoppers scored in double figures, led by Moore with 19, Myers with 13 and Newell with 12. LJ Hackman added nine points while Boyde and Armelo Boone added five each.
• Moore posted 19 points, going 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He matched his career high with nine rebounds while also adding four assists and a steal in 33 minutes of action.
• Myers scored 13 points on three made 3-pointers. He contributed across the board with four rebounds, three assists, and a steal while logging 36 minutes.
• Newell knocked down four 3-pointers and finished with 12 points. He grabbed three rebounds in a career-high 38 minutes.
• Hackman came up clutch from the stripe, finishing a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line to total nine points while adding a steal.
• Boyde made his presence felt on the glass with a career-high eight rebounds to go along with five points and a steal in 25 minutes.
• Boone added five points, five rebounds and a steal off the bench.
• As a team, WKU shot 12-of-36 (33.3%) from 3-point range and 20-of-25 (80.0%) at the foul line.
• The Hilltoppers led in points off turnovers (11-8), second chance points (16-13) and assists (14-13).
• WKU led for 37:06, while Louisiana Tech held the advantage for just six seconds. There were two lead changes and four ties.

QUOTABLES

• “Happy to get the win, happy to win both games of the homestand. I thought that was very important for us as we move forward. They’re a tricky team to play because of the amount of threes they kind of force you to shoot. I watched the Middle Tennessee game, they took 44 3s and 14 2s, and obviously we took 36 3s and 13 2s today. We did get to the free throw line, but it’s kind of a unique way of playing. And it looked all fine when the 3s go in, in the first half, but when the 3s start missing and maybe you expect them to go in, and all of a sudden now you’re not rebounding, not getting back on defense. Things can kind of snowball and they certainly did. Obviously, when they got up 61-60, that’s a concerning point for the head coach of this team. But I guess the ultimate positive of the game was at that point we dug down deep, got some stops, stuck together, made the plays on both ends of the floor — rebounding, free throws. LJ [Hackman] obviously made a big shot from the corner and made the plays to win the game. So, in the second half that was a little bit ugly from our perspective, very good that we were able to, in the last minute or two, make the plays to win the game.” — Mahurin Family Foundation Head Men’s Basketball Coach Hank Plona, on the win over Louisiana Tech.
• “I felt like we really settled in during the second half and started getting to our spots, and once we did that the offense opened up for everybody.” — G Teagan Moore, on the team’s 3-point shooting in the win over Louisiana Tech.
• “Coach has been on us about defending and rebounding first, and when we do that, the rest of our game flows a lot easier.” — F Grant Newell, on WKU’s defense in the win over Louisiana Tech.

NEXT UP

• WKU heads west for a two-game road swing, beginning Thursday, Jan. 8 at New Mexico State. Tipoff in Las Cruces, New Mexico is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT. The game will stream live on ESPN+.