HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- Western Kentucky University (21-13) rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to take the lead with 4:43 to play, but Troy University (20-11) got five clutch points from Richard Delk to end the Hilltoppers two-year run as Sun Belt Conference Tournament champions 54-48 on Monday night at Summit Arena in Hot Springs, Ark. The top-seeded Trojans snapped WKU's eight-game winning streak, handing the fourth-seeded Toppers their first setback since February 9.

The Hilltoppers were trying to become the first team in Sun Belt Tournament history to win four games in four days, coming up just short. WKU had its eight-game tournament winning streak stopped one shy of tying their own conference record set in 2001-03.

Trailing 40-25 with 18:36 to play, a pair of Jeremy Evans' offensive putbacks bookended a crucial 13-1 run as WKU drew within 41-38 with 12:20 remaining. During the run, Troy missed nine-straight shots after shooting 48.6 percent in the opening stanza. Evans finished with six points to go with 12 rebounds and three blocks. The senior from Crossett, Ark. finished out his record-breaking Hilltopper career as the all-time leader in starts (130), field goal percentage (63.9), and blocked shots (224).

Vernon Taylor's lay-up with 12:02 on the clock was the first made field goal for the Trojans in over seven minutes.

WKU continued to seize momentum, however, extending the run to 20-5 to tie the game at the 7:38 mark on a Pettigrew bucket. A basket by Michael Vogler gave Troy back the lead 47-45, only to see AJ Slaughter cap off the 23-7 run with a three-pointer with 4:43 left to give WKU its first lead, 48-47, since 3-2 in the opening 75 seconds of the game.

It seemed fitting that the superstar senior from Shelbyville, Ky. would once again flash his heroic long range ability to propel the Toppers to another clutch win. But Slaughter's only second half field goal would not be enough as Delk's offensive rebound and lay-up on the ensuing possession gave Troy back the lead for good with 4:04 remaining.

WKU missed its final five shots, unable to score over the final 4:43, as Vogler converted a circus reverse lay-up and Delk made his only three of the night count, sinking the long ball with 15 ticks left to set the final margin at 54-48.

Slaughter, who logged 40 minutes for the seventh time this season, concluded an amazing career with five points and three assists, snapping a string of 21-straight games with double figures in points. With 1,581 points, he is 12th all-time in scoring on the Hill and is 97-40 as a four-year player at WKU.

The Hilltoppers fell behind early in the first half thanks to a 15-2 Troy run, putting the Trojans up 17-5 on a Hazzard jumper. Hazzard scored 10 of the team's first 17 points, finishing the half with 17, but was held scoreless on 0-of-8 shooting in the final stanza.

Pettigrew pulled the Hilltoppers within six at 27-21 with 5:21 left in the first half, only to see an 11-1 Trojan spurt push the bulge back out to the largest of the game, 38-22, with 1:43 on the clock. Caden Dickerson knocked down his second trey with 59 seconds remaining to set the halftime deficit at 38-25. The Argyle, Texas native closed out his freshman campaign with 199 points, only one point shy of becoming just the 11th player in WKU history to score at least 200 points as a freshman.

Sergio Kerusch posted his fourth double double in 20 games played this season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Pettigrew's 14 led the Toppers while senior guard Anthony Sally dished out three assists and grabbed four rebounds.