Tops score 50 in second half to surge past FIU
Published 4:30 pm Saturday, February 7, 2026
Western Kentucky wiped away a forgettable first half with a fantastic final 20 minutes Saturday afternoon at E.A. Diddle Arena.
The Hilltoppers, trailing by eight points at halftime against Florida International, roared back with 50 second-half points to claim an 80-70 victory.
Senior forward Grant Newell scored a game-high 23 points, including a 5-of-8 performance from 3-point range, senior guard Cam Haffner scored 16 points in his first game action after being benched the previous three and graduate senior forward/center Blaise Keita notched his second career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead WKU (13-11 overall, 6-7 Conference USA).
“Certainly at halftime there we kind of had a – I wouldn’t say a soul-searching moment, not in any kind of crazy way – just a very matter-of-fact, ‘Yep, we’re tired. This hasn’t been an easy stretch. Yep, we’re down by eight. We all know the situation. We can either band together and be the best versions of ourselves and play with an aggressiveness and confidence to get the job done, or we can be on our heels and struggle a little bit.’ And I thought the players went out there and took the initiative and were very confident and very aggressive and played to win. I’m very proud of them for accomplishing that and getting a good win today.”
The Hilltoppers trailed 38-30 at halftime after scuffling again on offense, hitting just 11-of-38 shots (28.9%). But after getting outscored 20-6 on points in the paint in the first half, WKU set the tone for a very different second half early when freshman guard Armelo Boone sliced through the lane for a layup that started a quick five-point burst.
The Tops found their range from deep as well. Graduate senior guard Ryan Myers, who struggled to 3-for-14 shooting performance, knocked down the first of four straight 3-pointers for the Tops. Redshirt freshman guard Kade Unseld hit the next, then Newell drilled one from the top of the key to beat the shot clock and give the Tops a 46-44 lead with 12:47 to play. FIU (11-12, 4-8 CUSA) answered with an Eric Dibari jumper, but Newell again struck with a trey.
The Panthers pulled even once more with a 3-pointer, but Keita finished a drive in the paint with a basket that gave the Tops the lead for good at 51-49 with 11:38 to play.
The 10-point outing was a season best for the 6-foot-11 Keita.
“I’m so excited for this double-double because I’ve been working every day,” Keita said.
Keita’s basket started a six-point run that put the Tops up six. Myers’ second 3 of the game later stretched the advantage to 63-55 with 5:44 left, but the Panthers answered with two quick 3s to get back within two points.
Newell doubled that lead with a drive in the lane, then after FIU again got back to within two Myers drew a foul on a 3-point try and hit all three free throws before Keita scored again in the paint to push the advantage back out to seven at 70-63. The Panthers didn’t get closer than six the rest of the way and the Tops ended up dead even with FIU in the points in the paint category with 28 each.
“We just keep attacking in the paint,” Newell said. “In the first half we were making a lot of 3s. We were getting paint-touch 3s and we were taking the right shots and they were going in, so if we just continue to play our game we’re going to get points in the paint.”
Haffner provided a boost in his return to the court, hitting a 3-pointer on his first shot and scoring 11 first-half points – including three treys – during a stretch when the Tops were struggling to find offense while missing injured leading scorer Teagan Moore for the fifth straight game.
“Cam is a very talented player and has the ability to help us win games,” Plona said. “I more or less have no interest, and I told Cam this, I have no interest in playing him eight to 11 minutes of the game and ‘seeing if he can make a shot.’ I thought we had done that for about a two- or three-week stretch and I don’t think that helps him, I don’t think it helps us. I don’t think that’s good for anybody. He needs to get himself to where he can be the version of himself that he wants to be on that court. Sometimes when you don’t play a little bit … I didn’t want him to get into a rut where he was just expecting to go in there and it’s a quick hook.”
Keita, Boone (seven rebounds) and Unseld (six) helped the Tops outrebound the Panthers 44-37, and WKU also won the turnover battle 13-7. After getting whistled for 30 personal fouls – including four technicals – in Thursday’s 71-66 home loss to Jax State, the Tops only committed 15 against FIU.
“I’d say the last four games, our defense has been good,” Plona said. “I don’t think our defense is why we’re 2-2 in the last four games. I think putting the ball in the bucket has been the issue. We’ve been pressuring and we’ve been playing kind of a more in-your-face, man-to-man defense and pressuring further past the 3-point line. Early on in the season, teams were getting a ton of 3s up against us. We’ve tried to limit the amount of comfortable jump shots they get. Blaise can clean up the rim as good as anybody, so just trying to change a little bit and pressure out and not give space and not give comfort.”
The Tops have a week off before returning to action with another home game against Middle Tennessee on Feb. 14. WKU won the first meeting 65-60 on Jan. 31 at MTSU.
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