ATHENS, Ohio – Western Kentucky and its current eight-man roster can’t afford foul trouble. The Hilltoppers especially can’t afford silly fouls that result in key players sitting on the bench.

WKU had that problem Sunday with Lamonte Bearden in an 89-84 loss at Ohio. The redshirt junior guard fouled out after playing just 12 minutes at the Convocation Center.

“It hurt big time,” guard Taveion Hollingsworth said of his teammate’s foul trouble. “We need ‘Monte in the game. We can’t win without ‘Monte and he knows that. He has to be smart.”

Bearden’s first foul came less than three minutes into the game. His second occurred at the 16:52 mark by way of a technical.

Bearden was whistled for mouthing off after blocking a Jason Carter layup along the baseline.

“He said, ‘Get it out of here,’ ” WKU coach Rick Stansbury said. “Well shut your mouth and play. That’s what you’ve got to do.

“It cost him a foul. That’s one of those fouls that made a difference of him being in that game and not being in that game.”

Stansbury took a chance and put Bearden back into the game midway through the first half. He then picked up his third foul scrambling after a loose ball with 8:19 to go before halftime.

The 6-foot-3 Milwaukee native finished the first half with three fouls, one point, one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal in four minutes. His absence was a key reason WKU went into the halftime break down 42-30 against the Bobcats.

“He makes everyone around him better,” forward Justin Johnson said of Bearden. “He’s a good defender because he gets his hands active. But we’ve got to get him on the court.”

Bearden started the second half well, assisting on a Johnson layup and then scoring a bucket off his own steal. That Bearden basket trimmed Ohio’s lead to 42-36 with 18:58 left in the game.

The guard couldn’t stay on the floor for long. The former Buffalo transfer missed a jumper with 16:05 to play, then crashed in and fouled the Bobcats’ Teyvion Kirk on a rebound attempt, picking up his fourth foul.

“He picks up that fourth one with a tough shot and then goes and fouls after that,” Johnson said. “I was like, ‘Shake the tough shot off and get back. We’ve got to have you on the court. We need you to make plays.’ ”

Bearden came back in about four minutes later but fouled out when he hacked Ohio guard Mike Laster with 7:47 to go.

Bearden finished with seven points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in his 12 minutes. He shot 2-of-7 from the floor, 0-of-1 from 3-point range and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line.

Bearden’s foul troubles robbed WKU of one of its best playmakers. He went into play Sunday averaging 12.5 points per game – second only for the Tops to Darius Thompson’s 14 ppg – and led the squad with 18 steals. His 30 assists were second to Thompson’s 34.

Bearden’s issues with fouls also hurt the depth of a Hilltopper team that’s currently dressing just seven scholarship players and eight total athletes.

“We’ve got eight guys and there’s no margin for error,” Johnson said. “We need everyone playing.”{&end}