SHORT-HANDED: WKU extends win streak with roster depleted by injuries

Published 5:51 am Wednesday, December 18, 2024

by Micheal Compton

The Western Kentucky men’s basketball team won the battle of attrition, outlasting Seattle University 86-73 on Tuesday at E.A. Diddle Arena.

WKU was without senior forward Babacar Faye, out with a knee injury, and graduate guard Khristian Lander, sidelined after suffering an ankle injury on the final play of Saturday’s win against Murray State.

With 10 available, eight playing Tuesday, the Hilltoppers were able to pull away in the second half — riding the hot hand of senior guard Don McHenry. The reigning Conference USA Player of the Week followed up his 29-point effort against Murray State with 28 points in Tuesday’s win — 19 in the second half.

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The win was the fifth straight for WKU, who improved to 8-3 on the season.

“I thought as the game went on the combinations we had were successful,” WKU coach Hank Plona said. “The eight guys that were in the game tonight did a great job of sticking together. When you lose a couple of key guys — Babacar for a couple of weeks most likely and Khristian has a chance to play on Saturday — this is a close-knit group and they have been for a year and a half. When guys go down with injuries it does affect us. Just emotionally, mentally getting prepared for this game was a little bit of a challenge, but I thought the 10-11 guys that practiced and certainly the eight that played tonight did a great job of sticking together and executing and being able to come out with a big win.”

Seattle (4-7) jumped out to an 8-3 lead early before WKU used a 14-4 spurt to push in front 17-12. The margin grew to 36-22 after a 3-pointer from Tyrone Marshall Jr. with four minutes left in the half, but the Redhawks were able to trim the deficit to 38-32 by the half.

Seattle took advantage of 10 offensive boards in the first half leading to 11 second-chance points. The Hilltoppers did not have an offensive rebound in the first half and were outrebounded 25-17.

“It was the first thing (coach Plona) talked about,” WKU graduate guard Braxton Bayless said. “He drew it on the board. He said that is the ballgame right there. If we get the rebounds, then we are going to win.”

Seattle kept chipping away, pulling within 48-46 with 14:54 remaining. WKU finally got a cushion again, courtesy of McHenry, who scored 12 straight points in a three-minute span to push the advantage back to 60-46.

“We’ve got a lot of threats and I think that made it easier, it just opened it up for me where I got the shots I wanted because of the other guys on the court,” McHenry said. “The team making it easier for me to get those shots helped a lot for sure.”

Seattle was able to make one final push, getting as close as 76-70 with 4:22 left, but the Hilltoppers scored 10 straight to regain the momentum and seal the victory.

“I am pretty proud of the guys,” Plona said. “I didn’t think tonight was necessarily a perfectly played game. It was tough after a big emotional win on Saturday. Through the ups and downs of the game I thought the guys remained together. On the offensive end we were very efficient. I thought a lot of individual players stepped up on the defensive end. All in all, that is a very good basketball team. I pleased and proud of the guys to come out with a win tonight.”

McHenry finished 9-for-12 from the field, 4-for-5 from 3, and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

“When you have 28 points on 12 field goal attempts, that is pretty efficient,” Plona said. “I didn’t realize he had that many points because it didn’t seem like it was a game where he was taking a million shots. It wasn’t, but obviously he shot the ball extremely well.

“To start the game, they were hugged up on him and face-guarding him, denying him as much as anybody has all year. He did a good job of staying with it and letting the game come.”

Julius Thedford finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Bayless added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while Enoch Kalambay finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a team-best five assists.

WKU finished the night shooting 59.2% from the field, including 12-for-20 from 3, while narrowing the final rebound margin to 38-36 in favor of Seattle.

The Hilltoppers wrap up a four-game home stand at 2 p.m. on Saturday, hosting Kentucky Wesleyan.

About Micheal Compton

I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.

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