POOR SHOOTING PLAGUES HILLTOPPERS AS WKU FALLS IN RUSTON 77-67

Courtesy of WKU Athletics (Seth-Patrick Holman)

— By Cole McIntire, Sports Director, The Extra Point

(RUSTON, LA) – Western Kentucky University’s shooting woes continued in Ruston as the Hilltoppers dropped a 77-67 decision to Louisiana Tech, marking their second consecutive loss. The defeat pushes WKU to a 2-4 record in Conference USA play, leaving them in eighth place in the league standings.

In their last two games, the Hilltoppers have struggled mightily from beyond the arc, shooting just 20% (11-of-53) from three-point range. This extended slump has compounded the challenges facing the defending Conference USA champions, who have been decimated by injuries this season.

WKU’s depleted roster was further impacted by in-season injuries to senior center Babacar Faye and freshman guard Julius Thedford, leaving the team looking far from its explosive potential.

Head coach Hank Plona acknowledged the team’s adversity in his Tuesday press conference: “If we go into a game thinking woe is us or sorry for us, we’re not going to succeed … I know we’re getting hit with the injury bug at a level I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced.”

The Hilltoppers’ injury situation took another hit as Thedford is expected to miss multiple weeks to a month after dislocating his knee cap, which caused a ligament tear. Coach Plona confirmed that no additional damage was found and surgery is not needed, but his absence is a significant blow for the team.

Courtesy of WKU Athletics (Seth-Patrick Holman)

Despite their struggles, Louisiana Tech capitalized on WKU’s misfortunes, extending their home win streak to six games. The Bulldogs’ success was largely fueled by their dominance at the free-throw line, where they went 29-of-42, compared to just 17-of-21 for the Hilltoppers. The discrepancy in free-throw attempts proved pivotal as fouls became a major issue for WKU, with six players finishing the game with four or more fouls.

Senior guard Jalen Jackson provided a bright spot for the Hilltoppers defensively, recording six steals and one block in the loss.

The Breakdown

The game got off to a slow start for both teams, with a combined 5-of-25 shooting mark at the 11:37 mark. WKU managed to build a 16-10 lead, but Louisiana Tech answered with a 7-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from junior guard Al Green.

At the half, the Hilltoppers found themselves trailing 33-28. The offense struggled mightily, hitting just 2-of-14 from three-point range and shooting 32% overall from the field. The Louisiana Tech defense also forced seven turnovers, converting them into 10 points. Jalen Jackson led WKU in the first half with four of the Hilltoppers’ six steals.

WKU came out of the locker room with a renewed sense of urgency, as senior guard Khristian Lander hit a jumper to cut the deficit to three. Eight minutes into the second half, the Hilltoppers showed defensive tenacity, racking up three steals without committing a turnover. However, consistent scoring remained elusive, and the Bulldogs were also plagued by shooting issues, making just one of their seven shots during an eight-minute stretch.

The turning point came with 2:41 left in the game when Jackson was assessed a flagrant foul on Louisiana Tech’s redshirt senior center Daniel Batcho. The foul extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 69-62. From there, Louisiana Tech sealed the win with a three-pointer from junior guard Jordan Crawford, pushing the lead to 74-65.

With the loss, WKU now heads to Sam Houston for a Saturday afternoon showdown at 2:30 p.m. CT, looking to bounce back and turn their road trip around.