ATLANTA – Western Kentucky wanted to give Bowling Green a glimmer of light on one of its darkest days.

Less than 24 hours after a tornado system plowed across western Kentucky, resulting in at least 15 fatalities in Warren County, the Hilltoppers capped off a Saturday full of college basketball in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta with a 71-48 victory over Ole Miss.

“It was definitely an emphasis for us to just come out and play hard and just give the folks back in Bowling Green something good to look forward to,” WKU fifth-year senior guard Josh Anderson said.

WKU (6-4) was already in Atlanta when a tornado, confirmed by the National Weather Service as at least an EF-3 with winds estimated at 150 mph, hit Bowling Green in part of what Emergency Management Director Michael Dosset said was a four-tornado system to hit the state.

Early Saturday afternoon following a practice session – after the storm had destroyed over 500 homes and 100 businesses in Warren County, according to Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon – WKU head coach Rick Stansbury and the team offered thoughts and prayers to those in WKU’s town in a video posted to social media.

“Let’s keep this in perspective,” Stansbury said after the win. “It was a challenge for a lot of people from about 4 o’clock this morning when we find out what was going on back in Bowling Green. I can promise you our players had talked about it off and on all day. Same with all us coaches. We’ve got coaches on the staff that’s got damage … but again, nothing compares to some other damage that’s in Bowling Green.

“ … As great as this win is, as excited as we all are, our thoughts, our prayers, our hearts are still back in Bowling Green. All those people who lost loved ones, that’s lost property, businesses – at the end of the day, this is still a game, and we all got to keep that in perspective.”

The Hilltoppers came out strong against Ole Miss (6-3) and remained that way throughout.

The Hilltoppers controlled the Rebels throughout the first half and took a 34-19 lead into the break. WKU pulled ahead by 17 at the 2:30 mark in the period with an alley-oop from Camron Justice to Jamarion Sharp to cap off an 18-2 run, and led by as many as 18 points before taking the 15-point advantage into the second half.

“We knew coming into this game we were going to play a very good Ole Miss team,” Stansbury said. “I think they’re 40th in the country in field goal percentage defense, they’re a team that prides themselves in being able to shut people down – they’re really good defensively.

“But our guys deserve a lot of credit. We found ways to come in here knowing we’ve been shorthanded here lately. … I thought our guys executed, handled that pressure about as well as anybody in the country could have done.”

WKU held Ole Miss to just 24% (7-of-29) shooting in the first half, including just 1-of-10 from 3-point range. Sharp had 10 points through 20 minutes, as did Anderson on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 shooting from beyond the arc in the first half of his return after missing the previous three games due to COVID-19 protocols.

The Hilltoppers led by double digits for the entirety of the second half and grew their lead to as large as 25 with a 9-0 run in the closing minutes before finishing off the 71-48 win.

“A day overloaded with adversity and heartbreak in Bowling Green gets 2 hours of positivity – congratulations to (WKU) for their resilience and determination in beating Ole Miss 71-48 tonight in Atlanta, the 10th win over a Power 5 opponent under Rick Stansbury,” WKU director of athletics Todd Stewart tweeted after the game.

Sharp finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and six blocks to lead WKU in the victory – its 10th over a Power Five team under Stansbury. The win also marked the fourth straight season the Hilltoppers have beaten an SEC foe.

“Before the game started, I said I’m dedicating every last one of my points to the people and families in Bowling Green,” Sharp said.

Anderson finished with 13 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 shooting from 3-point range, and Hamilton had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Luke Frampton was the fourth Hilltopper in double figures with 12 points. WKU had 22 assists on 30 made field goals as it shot 51% in the game.

“It was definitely hard,” Anderson said. “Me, personally, I’ve got family back in Bowling Green. You just don’t want to see nobody, period, go through nothing like that. It was definitely hard just focusing on the basketball game when more important things are going on.”

Jarkel Joiner led Ole Miss with 13 points and Nysier Brooks had 10. The Rebels shot just 27% (17-of-62) from the field and 26% (7-of-27) from 3-point range. Ole Miss is scheduled to host Middle Tennessee on Wednesday.

WKU is scheduled to host Centre College in a 7 p.m. game Tuesday, before welcoming in-state foe Louisville to E.A. Diddle Arena for a 1:30 p.m. game Saturday.