BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Western Kentucky University (3-3) shook up its starting line-up on Sunday afternoon against Tulane (3-5), resulting in a strong defensive outing in downing the Green Wave 62-48. It was the 500th win in the 47-year-history of E.A. Diddle Arena as the Hilltoppers improve to 30-2 in their last 32 home games. WKU has now won four-straight against Conference USA members at Diddle Arena.

Steffphon Pettigrew and Jeremy Evans each turned in season-highs with 19 and 14 points respectively. Pettigrew scored 15 in the first frame to go with seven rebounds while Evans had an impressive game on both ends of the floor with nine rebounds (seven offensive) to go with five blocked shots.

Facing a 35-28 halftime deficit, Tulane scored the first six points to start the second half, holding the Toppers scoreless until Jeremy Evans' tip-in of a Jordan Swing missed shot with 15:56 to play made it 37-34. Tulane never tied or took the lead in the game.

Still a three-point game with 13:12 to play, Kris Richard, the team's leading scorer, missed two free throws that could have pulled the Green Wave back within 41-40, but instead, following the misses, AJ Slaughter dialed up long distance off an Anthony Sally feed to start what would be the decisive run of the game. WKU closed the final 12:56 on a 21-7 run minus a Kevin Sims cosmetic three-pointer with 24 ticks remaining.

Richard, who averaged 13.7 ppg, finished with five. But Sims was impressive scoring a career-high 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting including 4-of-5 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line. After 17 first-half points, however, Sergio Kerusch's defense was a key reason he had just seven after the break, three coming on the long distance shot at the end of the game.

Aside from Sims, the rest of the Green Wave were just 1-of-10 from long range and shot 36.0 percent from the field for the game. WKU dominated the glass 35-25.

In the first half, WKU connected on their first four shots to grab a 9-5 edge early on a Slaughter bucket. The senior guard finished with 13 points to go with five asists and a career-high-tying four steals, extending his double figure scoring streak to 24-straight games.

Sims kept Tulane close scoring nine of the team's first 12 points to pull within 13-12 at the under 12 media timeout.

Pettigrew knocked down his second three-pointer of the opening stanza with 9:59 on the clock to increase the spread to 18-12. After searching for his three-point shot through five games, going 0-of-12, Pettigrew was a perfect 2-of-2 in the game.

The Green Wave got a lay-up from Aaron Holmes with 3:28 left in the half to make it 27-23, but a Pettigrew basket and an Evans slam with 2:26 remaining pushed the lead back to eight at 31-23. It was Evans' fourth offensive rebound of the first half, as he finished with six boards and eight points in the opening 20 minutes.

Kerusch added 10 points and eight rebounds, all but two of each coming in the final frame. Freshman Jameson Tipping and Caden Dickerson each made their first career start for the Toppers while Sally chipped in four assists and two rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.

WKU host the University of Evansville on Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 PM in E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers own a 39-20 edge in the all-time series with the Purple Aces, including a 21-6 record in Bowling Green, but the two teams have split their last six meetings.