WKU Basketball: Hilltoppers survive double-OT exhibition outing, 103–97

An exhibition game that felt like a middle of the conference outing; thats what last night’s victory over Kentucky Wesleyan felt like for WKU.

The Panthers were a team that would not…could not…go away, and it was a battle for the Hilltoppers to stay in it.

Take away from this one? Rick Stansbury is still trying to figure out his team along with us. Stansbury said early in the post game presser, “I’m learning about this team just like you all are.”

WKU forced overtime after defending KWC well for their final possession, and the Panthers couldn’t hit a shot, sending it to OT.

The five minute overtime was an action packed one, with both teams knocking down 18 points. In saying that, with both teams tied again after those five tick marks on the clock, a double-OT was needed. However, the fashion of how WKU forced the next period was rather exciting.

After the buzzer-beater three by Pancake Thomas, WKU rode the momentum and rounded out the exhibition game with 10 points in the extra period compared the KWC’s four, finalizing the score at 103–97.

The stats were impressive, to say the least. KWC’s Ken-Jah Bosley knocked down 42 points, including eight threes. The next closest Panther? Sam Williams with 15 points, and those two were the only double figure scorers for KWC.

As for the Hilltoppers, they had five double-digit guys, leading the way with Junior Lomomba (29 points, six rebounds, 48 minutes), Pancake Thomas (24 points, five assists, 45 minutes), Justin Johnson (14 points, 12 rebounds) who scored all of his points in the overtime periods, Que Johnson (14 points, four rebounds, 3–13 FG, 1–8 3FG, 46 minutes) and Ben Lawson (11 points, 12 rebounds).

For my one take away from this outing, it is much similar to my takes from the recap against Campbellsville — this team is starting to mesh, and it will take time to see strong TEAM performance.

Pancake discussed after the game that the two exhibition outings have battle tested this team, and that is what this team needs to get better. He went on to discuss that when you are on the brink of losing, you work together as a team to win.

Tonight showed us that this team has talent, and you might call me crazy — how does a team almost lose an exhibition game to Kentucky Wesleyan, yet I still say they are talented? It’s all in the stats. Indivdual performances as a whole were strong, but as a team, the whole cohesive unit wasn’t there yet.

Last week Stansbury and players said communication was a huge problem, tonight, Stansbury said it was concentration. He said that instead of allowing KWC’s Bosely to go for 42, that someone needed to step up and say “I’m not going to let you drop 42 on me” and defend him properly.

Stansbury also discussed the lack of defending the dribble, which lead to KWC’s, more so Bosely’s, ability to shoot from range.

All in all, this team has the talent. This team has the coach. It’s whether or not they can put it all together.

There’s work to be done, but like Coach Stansbury said, he’s learning about this team just like we are day by day. As the days go by, the better this team gets.

So KWC was a hiccup and a lesson learned of sorts. Now, it’s time for the regular season.

For video of the WKU vs. KWC Post game press conference, visit the links below: courtesy WKU Sports.

-Video: WKU coach Rick Stansbury — https://youtu.be/B0t6QkFzxiw

-Video: WKU guards Junior Lomomba, Pancake Thomas — https://youtu.be/bn-fxTDuePI