(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) – WKU lost to Liberty, 90-61, in their final home game this season on Saturday. 

13 seniors were honored before the contest for their contributions to WKU Basketball: Braxton Bayless, Blaise Keita, Don McHenry, Jalen Jackson, Khristian Lander, Babacar Faye, Fallou Diagne, Terrion Murdix, Leeroy Odiahi, Jaylen Dorsey, Enoch Kalambay, Tyrone Marshall Jr. and Tyler Olden received commemorative jerseys.

Senior guard Khristian Lander led the Hilltoppers with 18 points, three assists, and two steals. Following Lander, senior guard Don McHenry charted 14 points, three rebounds, and one assist. Graduate guard Jalen Jackson scored eight points, shooting at a 30% clip. The red and white made eight threes and shot 33.8% from the field in the competition. 

“We’ve got about 72 hours … to figure out by Tuesday afternoon we need to play better in all areas of the game,” head coach Hank Plona said. “We need to make sure that we prepare our guys to have a better performance than this on Tuesday night.”

In this contest, consecutive scoring trips were key to Liberty’s success. The Flames largest run occurred in the first half, scoring 12 straight from the 8:46 mark. WKU couldn’t find consistent scoring, with their largest run being 6 points. 

“I thought they were quicker and sharper with all their decision-making tonight,” Plona said. 

Senior guards Taelon Peter and Jayvon Maughmer led Liberty with 21 points each. Freshman guard Brett Decker Jr. supported his offense with 16 points, converting 62.5% of his shots. Liberty shared the ball well, creating 22 assists in the matchup on a 52.5% shooting performance from the floor. The Flames were red hot and nailed ten threes in the first half, 16 overall.

The Hilltoppers scored first as Braxton Bayless used a spin move inside the paint. The Flames responded with a triple. At the 15:35 mark, Liberty surged with a 12-4 run. McHenry halted the run with a smooth jumper. The Flames continued their response with a 12-3 streak. All 12 of those points came from behind the arc. 

In the final four minutes, Liberty closed strong with a 15-9 run. Trailing 49-22 at the half, WKU shot 22.9% from the floor. Inside the paint, Liberty tallied 28 rebounds compared to WKU’s 19 in the first frame.

In the second half, the Hilltopper offense revived itself. A 12-5 run in the first four minutes resurrected Diddle Arena. After the Hilltopper run, Liberty stormed back with 20 points, only missing one shot during their eight-minute stretch of dominance. 

During the final eight minutes, senior guard Jaylen Dorsey led WKU with five points. Fan-favorite Tyler Olden made a triple in his final appearance in Diddle Arena, with his parents in attendance.

The Hilltoppers posted 39 points in the second half. The red and white improved their shooting efficiency, making 45.5% of their shots on the floor.

“We have the experience,” Jalen Jackson said. “We just have to come back together and do it.”

WKU finishes the season with a 17-14 record, 8-10 in Conference USA. The Hilltoppers will play Florida International University in the first round of the CUSA tournament in Huntsville, Alabama on Tuesday at 2 p.m. CT.