FINAL SCORE: Western Kentucky 84, Arkansas State 72

RECORDS:
Western Kentucky “Hilltoppers” — 9-16 overall, 7-7 Sun Belt Conference
Arkansas State "Indians" — 10-16 overall, 7-8 Sun Belt Conference

PLAY-BY-PLAY HIGHLIGHTS:
First Half — Western opens contest with 15-4 run in the first 4:35 — David
Boyden scores nine and Lee Lampley six during the stretch ... ASU responds
with 17-3 burst over 4:43 beginning with a Geoff Williams three-point play at
15:22 that gives the Indians a 21-18 advantage with 10:39 remaining ... Nashon
McPherson ties game with three-pointer from the left wing at 7:36, ending
string of 16 straight WKU missed field-goal attempts over 7:59 stretch ...
Indians score next five points on a DeShawn Denson jumper (7:08) and an Odie
Williams three-point play (6:12) ... Hilltoppers pull to 30-29 with 2:54 left
on two free throws from Todor Pandov ... C.J. Pepper hits both ends of a
1-and-1 to give ASU 33-29 lead with 1:29 to go ... Chris Marcus scores
Western’s final four points in the last 1:18 — sandwiched around a 15-foot
jumper from Pepper at 0:53 — to pull Toppers within two at the break.

Second Half — Derek Robinson gives WKU lead with first basket of half, a
three-pointer at 19:34 ... A pair of Kolin Weaver free throws at 15:18 gives
Indians 41-40 advantage ... ASU extends lead to 50-43 at 13:01 on driving
layup from Chico Fletcher ... Marcus dunk draws Toppers within three (52-49)
at 11:02 ... Western takes lead 54-53 following Lampley three from the left
wing with 9:52 to go ... After two ties, Hilltoppers take the lead for good at
8:14 on a Lampley jumper ... Basket starts 12-2 run that leaves WKU with 68-58
edge and 6:02 remaining — Tremain Rowles hits a pair of baskets during run,
including baseline jumper after G. Williams is called for technical foul that
ends run ... Closest ASU gets the rest of the way is 70-66 after Fletcher
three from the right wing with 2:55 to play ... Marcus extends Topper lead to
six with dunk at 2:28, then Western hits 10 consecutive free throws during a
1:01 span and leads 82-70 with 46 seconds to go ... Fletcher scores Indians’
final points with layup at 0:22 ... Marcus closes out scoring with dunk at
0:13 — WKU outscores ASU 14-6 in final 2:28.

QUOTES:
WKU Head Coach Dennis Felton — “We are really growing up. I thought that
game had a playoff feel to it. It was two teams who really went at it. ... It
had significant ramifications on the standings. ... We didn’t let missed shots
affect our energy level or fight. ... We handled the press early on. It
wasn’t the same as it was in Jonesboro. ... Our guys were very strong with the
ball.”
ASU Head Coach Dickey Nutt — “Western did a good job defending Chico and
Odie. ... They are a team that has really improved since we last played them.
... We apologize for the technical foul. I really thought it was a
nip-and-tuck game until the call. You can’t afford to walk around running
your mouth. It was a good call. Our player did not follow the referees
instructions. It gave them some confidence we couldn’t overcome. ... You have
to give credit to their defense.”

NOTES — Boyden has career high 11 points — all in the first half ...
McPherson ties career-high in rebounding ... 12 Turnovers are second-lowest
total by the Toppers this season — Western had 11 against Drexel on Dec. 30
... First back-to-back Hilltopper victories since defeating South Alabama
(Jan. 22) and Denver (Jan. 24) ... Western leads all-time series 13-7 and has
won nine of the 10 meetings in Bowling Green ... WKU ends Indians’ three-game
win streak in series.

NEXT GAME — The Hilltoppers conclude a three-game Sun Belt homestand with
their home finale against Arkansas-Little Rock Saturday at 7 p.m. CST ... ASU
closes out regular-season play at Sun Belt foe Florida International Saturday
at 6:30 p.m.