WKU Basketball: Tops Unable To Pull Off Upset in 81–80 Loss In Madison
The Hilltoppers battled seemingly everything in Madison — some of the hottest shooting they’ve faced all season, runs of 11–2 and 7–0 at different stages in the game and, depending on who you talk to, the officiating — and still nearly came away with a victory but fell just short against the Badgers, 81–80.
The Badgers came out firing on all cylinders, jumping out to an 11–2, but the Tops refused to go down so easily and stormed back with an 11–2 run of their own to tie the game at 13–13.
WKU was able to cool off the Badgers a bit in the back-half of the first 20 minutes and took a 38–34 lead into halftime.
Out of halftime, it was another fast start for the Badgers, who opened the half on a 9–2 run to take a 43–40 lead.
Each time the Badgers went on a run, the Tops answered right back to either tie the game or take a brief lead before the Badgers took a lead right back.
But, you don’t care about that. You care about this.
After Darius Thompson hit the game-tying shot, and it seemed like a sure thing the game would be heading to overtime, Mareek Nelson was called for a foul which put the Badgers at the line, and Brad Davison hit the first free-throw and quick-shot the second to make sure the clock ran out to ice the Badgers victory.
It sucks. I’m honestly feeling kind of numb.
Here are some other thoughts from tonight
- Lamonte Bearden wasn’t in foul trouble and it showed — he led all scorers with 19 points and added five rebounds and five assists to his statline. He did foul out in the final minutes of the game, but that’s fine.
- Justin Johnson was the motor that kept the Tops in the game in the first half, scoring the first seven points and finishing with 13 and just two rebounds (a surprising number, without a doubt).
- Thompson (18) and Taevion Hollingsworth (12) and Jake Ohmer (12) also finished in double-figures for the Tops.
- If there’s anything to take away form this game — and this is something that we’ve known since Villanova — is that the Tops can compete with anyone.
It’s a disappointing loss, and I apologize for the brief recap, but I’m still honestly trying to collect some thoughts. Maybe we’ll have more tomorrow. Maybe I’ll bury this like I did 28–3. Who knows?
Anyway, go Tops.
Final stats:
