WKU Basketball: Tops Control FIU, Win Steady 84-71 Decision in Diddle

Five Toppers Scored in Double Figures in a Balanced Attack.

Western Kentucky was desperate for a victory after falling in a heartbreaker by one at La Tech last week to open C-USA play.

Florida International headed up to Bowling Green with a pretty record (10-4) overall, but had suffered a close loss to Old Dominion in its first conference game.

FIU has shown itself to be quite competent in the first half of the season, racking up some decent wins and showing some significant ability with its guards to distribute the ball on the perimeter.

FIU won the tip, and immediately FIU’s Tevin Brewer banged home a three to draw first blood. FIU would continue to follow Brewer’s early leadership, leading as late as 13:52 left in the game, 12-10. The Golden Panthers were making shots early, but the Hilltoppers didn’t let the opponent get any more ahead than five in the early going.

WKU would take control from there, outscoring FIU 74-59 the last 34 minutes of the game. With an and-one from Dayvion McKnight, who drew six FIU fouls by himself, WKU took the lead, never to relinquish it.

FIU was a game opponent, shooting 47% in the first a still solid 43% in the second. But WKU would combat that with 54% in the first and 44% in the second, along with a 50% clip from behind the arc. Western used a balanced attack, with five players in double figures, a Jairus Hamilton who contributed in all areas despite still struggling from the field. Hamilton, WKU’s leading scorer until recently, must get going for WKU to be its best moving forward.

Nonetheless, WKU dove all over the floor, making hustle play after hustle play. WKU would answer every FIU push, and Western steadily increased its lead throughout the game, never leading by more than 17 and ultimately settling on the final margin at 13, 84-71.

Without WKU’s focus and yes, execution, FIU may have been more of a threat to the overall outcome. With a team shooting 45 percent and hitting nine threes, the Golden Panthers had plenty to win on most nights. But WKU’s effort and efficiency was just too much for FIU.

Ultimately, WKU received a contribution from virtually everyone who played. Everyone but Jairus Hamilton and Sherman Brashear, who only played four minutes, shot well for the Tops. Five players (four starters) reached double digits. Jaylen Butz, a notoriously lackadaisical player at times, was absolutely an animal, grabbing six boards, creating loose ball opportunities, diving on the floor, and getting four offensive rebounds, several of which resulted in a total of seven offensive points for WKU, four of which he scored. He was really impactful and this a very bright moment for him despite only receiving 12 minutes of action.

Although, it’s one early season victory against a team that likely will not finish above the Tops in the standings, this is a step in the right direction, and it moves WKU back in the direction of positioning itself atop C-USA. Meanwhile, FIU drops to the cellar despite having a quality basketball team.

WKU takes on Rice and North Texas next week in Bowling Green against a team that just beat UAB, who looked like the early season favorite, along with the conference defending champion, North Texas.