Lady Toppers roll in home opener
Published 4:33 am Sunday, November 10, 2024
Western Kentucky junior forward Mya Pratcher (5) gives graduate guard Destiny Salary (1) a hug as they celebrate a basket in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior guard Josie Gilvin (33) shoots the ball as Kentucky State’s Mondrea Williams (11) reaches to block in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky graduate guard Destiny Salary (1) moves around Kentucky State’s Jeana Weatherspoon (24) to shoot a layup in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky freshman guard Salma Khedr (34) shoots a layup around Kentucky State’s Amaris Timmons (10) in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky senior guard Alexis Mead (3) shoots a layup in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior forward Zsofia Telegdy (23) gives freshman guard Salma Khedr (34) a piggyback ride as they celebrate winning 104-49 over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
The Lady Tops celebrate winning 104-49 over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior forward Zsofia Telegdy (23) shoots a three-pointer over Kentucky State’s Amaris Timmons (10) in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky graduate guard Destiny Salary (1) shoots a layup in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky senior guard Alexis Mead (3) looks to pass the ball around Kentucky State’s Shannon Niles (2) in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior guard Josie Gilvin (33) shoots the ball over Kentucky State’s Mondrea Williams (11) and Amaris Timmons (10) in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky freshman guard Salma Khedr (34) shoots a free throw in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior guard Acacia Hayes (10) talks to Head Basketball Coach Greg Collins on the sidelines in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky senior guard Alexis Mead (3) moves the ball down the court in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky senior forward Mariama Sow (6) shoots a layup over Kentucky State’s Amaris Timmons (10) and Diana McBroom (4) in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky freshman guard Salma Khedr (34) tries to hang onto the ball as Kentucky State’s Diana McBroom (4) and Bailey Lee (34) surround to block her in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky graduate guard Destiny Salary (1) shoots a layup as Kentucky State’s Amyah Adair-Mars (14) reaches to block in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
The Western Kentucky cheerleaders wave their Big Red towels as Kentucky State shoots a set of free throws in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior guard Josie Gilvin (33) shoots a free throw in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky Lady Toppers Head Basketball Coach Greg Collins gives senior forward Mariama Sow (6) instructions on the sidelines during the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky senior forward Mariama Sow (6) shoots a layup over Kentucky State’s Naja Fenelon (5) and Diana McBroom (4) in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior forward Mya Pratcher (5) steals the ball from Kentucky State’s Brittany Campbell (13) in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky sophomore guard Mackenzie Chatfield (0) shoots a layup in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Kentucky State Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
Western Kentucky junior forward Zsofia Telegdy (23) defends the ball as Kentucky State’s Khalia Bryant (0) tries to steal it from her in the Lady Tops’ 104-49 win over the Thorobreds at E. A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Grace McDowell/grace.mcdowell@bgdailynews.com)
By MICHEAL COMPTON / micheal.compton@bgdailynews.com
It was a complete effort for the Western Kentucky women’s basketball team, which cruised to a 104-49 win over Kentucky State in Saturday’s home opener at E.A. Diddle Arena.
WKU had five players score in double figures and forced 36 turnovers on the defensive end to go wire-to-wire for the victory and improve to 2-0 on the season.
“It was a great opportunity to get some players who just need some minutes on the floor,” WKU coach Greg Collins said. “We’re always trying to get better and there were little things that individuals did that I saw us get better. You’re seeing some of the improvements on a consistent basis now.
“ … There are a lot of areas where we’re slowly showing improvement.”
WKU scored four points in the first minute and kept getting distance from there. A 12-2 run pushed the advantage to 16-4 midway through the quarter, with WKU’s lead growing to 27-14 after one.
Mya Pratcher scored six points to fuel a 13-2 run that made the score 40-16 with 5:36 left in the first half. The lead continued to grow, with WKU taking a 58-25 lead into halftime. The 58-point outburst was the best since the Lady Toppers scored 57 points in the first half against West Virginia State.
The WKU margin grew to 75-31 after a 3-pointer from Acacia Hayes midway through the third. Kentucky State trimmed the deficit to 77-42 heading into the fourth, but Mariama Sow had nine points during a 17-0 run to open the final period.
The only drama left was if WKU could hit the 100-point mark. Sow’s 3 with 1:55 provided that milestone. It was the first time the Lady Toppers scored 100 in a game since a triple-overtime win over Charlotte on Jan. 29, 2021. It was the first time scoring 100 in regulation since Jan. 11, 2018, against FIU.
“We wanted to come in and get better on our end,” WKU graduate senior Destiny Salary said. “We wanted to come in and protect home court and just get better as a team. We weren’t so much worried about the scoreboard or anything like that. We just wanted to work on what we needed to work on to get better.”
Salary paced the offense with 18 points. Sow finished with a career-high 17 points, including three made 3s — equaling her season total for made 3s last year at UTEP.
“I just listened to my teammates and what coach told me to do,” Sow said. “I just stepped in and helped my team do great.”
Hayes and Alexis Mead added 14 points each, with Hayes pulling down a career-high six boards. Pratcher scored a career-high 12 points, while Mackenzie Chatfield added a career-high six steals.
WKU held a 48-6 advantage in points off turnovers. The Lady Toppers outrebounded Kentucky State 37-30, with the bench scoring 52 points.
“The two points we were focused on at the end of last (seasone) were one — get bigger,” Collins said. “We were trying to box out. We were just too small. Second was to add depth. I feel like we have addressed those. Now we have to make sure we are playing together.
“They did outscore them, but I think the other side of that coin — the more important part — they defended the heck out of (Kentucky State). We went through about a seven-minute stretch where they held them scoreless. That’s the more impressive part of it.”
WKU will return to action at 6 p.m. CST on Tuesday playing at Mercer. The Bears are coached by former WKU player and head coach Michelle Clark-Heard.
“It will be a great ballgame,” Collins said. “It’s always tough to play down there and there’s no doubt that coach will have them locked in and ready to play hard. We will have to play a lot sharper than we played tonight.”
About Micheal Compton
I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.
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