WKU Basketball: Tops Cling To One-Point Victory Over Louisiana Tech in CUSA Opener

Western Kentucky came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, but cooled off towards the end of the game but was able to get clutch points and stop La Tech just enough in a 69–68 victory to open Conference USA play on Thursday.

The Bulldogs opened the game shooting just 20% (3-of-15) from the floor, and just 1-of-6 from three while the Toppers opened the game firing off a 53.8% (7-of-13) clip from the floor, and hitting 4-of-7 from the free throw line, as the early strategy for WKU was to drive the ball and force contact.

Justin Johnson and Dwight Coleby, as well as Marek Nelson, were huge factors early in finishing inside, taking advantage of the size advantage that Ben Carlisle talked about in our Q&A with him earlier in the week.

Tech, in the first half, looked…out of sync. Without a doubt they were trying to learn how to play without leading scorer and point guard Jalen Harris, and they looked very lost. They rushed possessions, fired errant and bad-look three balls and just couldn’t keep up with the Tops in the opening 20 minutes.

The second 20 minutes, however, were a bit of a different story.

Although the Tops were able to keep the Dogs at bay for a majority of the half, the Bulldogs were able to force their way all the way back, thanks in large part to a stretch of nearly five minutes without WKU making a field goal, and the Tops finishing the game only making something like three of their last 15 shots or something.

DaQuan Bracey and Jacobi Boykins also got into a rhythm in the second half, as the pair finished with a combined total of 27 points (14 for Boykins, 13 for Bracey).

This was the first time all year the Tops looked, and felt, like they were running out of steam as the game entered it’s final stages.

But, a win is a win, and the Tops move to 1–0 in conference play. Onto Southern Miss, who were annihilated by Marshall this evening, 85–66.

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