SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Lamonte Bearden’s waited a year to show what he can do in a Western Kentucky uniform. The guard gave a glimpse Tuesday of what he can provide for the Hilltoppers.

The redshirt junior Bearden scored 23 points, leading WKU to a 104-98 win over Laurentian University in the first game of the Toppers’ preseason Costa Rica trip.

Bearden tallied 11 points in the first half and 12 in the second, as WKU notched a comeback win at BN Arena. The Hilltoppers trailed the Voyageurs from Ontario, Canada, by as many as eight points in the third quarter before outscoring them 31-22 in the fourth period.

“I play with a little confidence,” Bearden told the Daily News after the win.

“I like to get my team involved. I’m not a big scorer but if I have to score I will.”

The 6-foot-3 Bearden transferred to WKU last summer from Buffalo. He helped the Bulls to NCAA Tournament berths as a freshman and sophomore but ran into off-court troubles.

The Milwaukee native couldn’t play in games last year due to NCAA transfer rules but dominated practice with his ability to get to the basket.

Bearden displayed those skills Tuesday, scoring all 11 of his baskets in the paint. He grabbed five offensive rebounds and didn’t turn the ball over in his 28 minutes on the floor.

“That kid is unguardable, really,” forward Justin Johnson said of Bearden. “The way he gets to the cup is just effortless too. He’s a really crafty finisher at the basket, hangs in the air forever and switches hands and everything.”

Bearden was one of five double-figure scorers for the Hilltoppers in the first of its three games this week in San Jose.

The senior Johnson scored 19 points, followed by Darius Thompson (18) and Jordan Brangers and Taveion Hollingsworth (14 each).

WKU trailed Laurentian 68-60 midway through the third quarter before drawing to within 76-73 heading into the fourth.

A Bearden layup off a Brangers assist early in the fourth quarter gave the Hilltoppers an 83-81 advantage, their first lead since the first quarter. The junior guard Brangers then buried a 3-pointer to make it 86-81.

The Voyageurs drew to within 90-89, but another Brangers 3 put WKU up 93-89 late. The Tops held on from there for the victory.

WKU only turned the ball over once in the second half after committing 11 turnovers over the first two quarters. The Hilltoppers won despite shooting 5-of-20 from 3-point range.

Johnson, WKU’s leading scorer and rebounder a year ago, grabbed 10 rebounds to go with his 19 points. The graduate student Thompson, a Virginia transfer, finished with six rebounds, five assists and five steals.

“He was the one guy who didn’t get sped up out there tonight,” coach Rick Stansbury said. “You need that. He’ll continue to get better as we put this thing together.”

Coleby sprains heel early in win

Dwight Coleby dominated in the post early Tuesday. A 6-foot-9 grad transfer from Kansas, the forward posted seven points and seven rebounds in just eight minutes on the floor.

Unfortunately for Coleby, his night ended early when he was fouled going to the basket in the first half. The Nassau, Bahamas, native hit the floor and came up slowly.

Stansbury said afterward that Coleby sprained the back of his heel and is likely done playing on this trip.

“He was a force in there at the time,” Stansbury said of Coleby.

Diagne not yet cleared by NCAA

Coleby’s injury was compounded by the news Moustapha Diagne won’t be able to play in games on the Costa Rica trip. The redshirt sophomore is still waiting on clearance from the NCAA in terms of his amateurism status, Stansbury said.

The 6-9 forward from Rufisque, Senegal, came to WKU last fall after playing in 2015-16 at Northwest Florida State College. Diagne went through two semesters at WKU as a regular student before joining the basketball program this summer.

Diagne was still allowed to participate in the 10 practices the Hilltoppers conducted in Bowling Green before leaving for Costa Rica. He was also allowed to travel with the team, and is taking part in everything WKU is doing this week except for playing in the games themselves.

Coleby’s sprained heel, Diagne’s situation and Mitchell Robinson’s recent decision to leave the program leaves Johnson as the only true post player on WKU’s active roster likely available this week.

Up Next

The Hilltoppers will play their second of three games on the preseason trip Wednesday, taking on the Costa Rica National Team at 8 p.m. CDT in BN Arena.

Laurentian – 21 28 27 22 – 98

Western Kentucky – 17 27 29 31 – 104

WKU scorers – Bearden 23, Johnson 19, Thompson 18, Brangers 14, Hollingsworth 14, Coleby 7, Savage 5, Ohmer 4.{&end}