Hilltoppers rally falls short in 97-94 loss to Tennessee Tech

What This Story Is About

• WKU men’s basketball fell 97-94 to Tennessee Tech on Sunday in Cookeville, dropping the Hilltoppers to 2-1 after a late comeback came up short.

Why It Matters

• WKU erased a 15-point second-half deficit and pulled within three in the closing seconds. Teagan Moore led the Hilltoppers with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

What Happens Next

• WKU returns to E.A. Diddle Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 11, to host Campbellsville. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

For Context

• The Hilltoppers outscored Tennessee Tech 53-47 in the second half, scored 44 points in the paint and received 40 points from their bench.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - WKU fell 97-94 at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville on Sunday after its late comeback fell short, dropping the Hilltoppers to 2-1 before hosting Campbellsville Wednesday.

The Hilltoppers faced a double-digit deficit for much of the second half but made a late push to put themselves within one possession in the closing minutes. Tennessee Tech ultimately held on for the three-point victory inside the Hooper Eblen Center.

WKU established an early lead behind Teagan Moore and Sharron Young. Moore opened the scoring with a three-pointer, and after EJ Walker added a free throw, Moore grabbed an offensive rebound for a second-chance basket. Young followed with a triple to give the Hilltoppers a 9-3 advantage with 17:55 remaining in the first half.

Tennessee Tech answered with back-to-back three-pointers to even the score at nine. The teams traded baskets, with Gabe Weis putting WKU back in front, 13-12, on a turnaround jumper. The Golden Eagles answered with another three before LJ Hackman converted twice at the free-throw line to tie the game at 15.

Tennessee Tech then found its rhythm from beyond the arc. Cbo Newton connected on three consecutive three-pointers to fuel a 9-0 run and give the Golden Eagles a 24-15 advantage with 11:22 remaining in the half.

WKU worked its way back with a 6-0 stretch. Emondrek Erkins-Ford converted four free throws, while Armelo Boone added a jumper to bring the Hilltoppers within five.

Boone continued to provide a spark offensively, finishing with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He also collected eight rebounds, dished out three assists and recorded a block.

Tennessee Tech regained some separation with shots from beyond the arc, extending its advantage to double digits. WKU answered through Moussa Konare and Hackman, whose three-point play brought the deficit down to five, 39-34, with 2:46 left in the half.

The Golden Eagles maintained their advantage through the closing minutes. Newton connected on another three-pointer with 59 seconds remaining, and another Tennessee Tech triple in the final minute helped send WKU into halftime trailing 50-41.

Tennessee Tech carried its momentum into the second half, opening with a pair of free throws before Walker answered with a dunk. Hackman followed with a basket inside, but Newton created another opportunity for the Golden Eagles, recording a steal and setting up Kamai Samuels for a fast-break dunk.

WKU continued to chip away at the deficit. Boone and Erkins-Ford scored inside before Moore added a basket to help the Hilltoppers stay within reach. Moore later converted another opportunity in the paint, and Hackman helped bring WKU within five, 59-54, with 14:45 remaining.

The Golden Eagles responded with a three-pointer, but WKU kept pressing. Moore and Hackman helped cut into the margin before Moore found Konare for an alley-oop dunk with 13:08 on the clock, making it a 65-60 game.

Konare finished with six points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting performance. He added two rebounds and a team-high two blocks.

Tennessee Tech gradually rebuilt its advantage as the half progressed. A Caleb Sanders layup helped push the lead to double digits, and the Golden Eagles eventually reached their largest advantage of the afternoon at 83-68 with 7:57 remaining.

Newton added a layup with 5:22 left to keep Tennessee Tech in front, 86-72.

WKU refused to let the game get away. The Hilltoppers responded with a 10-0 run, getting baskets from Boone and Young before Weis connected on a jumper. Young added another basket, and Moore finished a second-chance opportunity with a tip-in at 2:56 to pull WKU within four, 86-82.

Moore led the Hilltoppers with 22 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, recording WKU’s first double-double of the season. He shot 6-of-17 from the field, including 1-of-2 from three-point range, and finished 9-of-11 at the free-throw line.

Tennessee Tech stopped the run with a Mosquera three-pointer, then added to its advantage at the free-throw line.

WKU continued to battle in the final minutes. Boone scored inside before Weis knocked down a three-pointer. Young then came up with a steal that led to another Boone layup, bringing the Hilltoppers within five, 94-89, with 52 seconds remaining.

Weis added a fast-break layup to make it a four-point game with 25 seconds left. The Golden Eagles answered at the free-throw line, but WKU continued to fight. Hackman converted two free throws with two seconds remaining to make it 97-94. The Hilltoppers could not get another opportunity to tie the game.

Hackman finished with a season-high 17 points in 23 minutes off the bench. He went 2-of-4 from the field and 13-of-14 at the free-throw line, setting Division I career highs in both free throws made and attempted.

Young finished with nine points and a team-high five assists without committing a turnover. Weis also added nine points, shooting 4-of-6 from the field in 14 minutes off the bench. LaBeaux contributed eight points and three rebounds, while Konare finished with six points.

Following the loss, head coach Hank Plona reflected on the challenge Tennessee Tech presented and the importance of learning from the experience.

“A very challenging game, and one that, I tell you, I personally expected to be exactly what it was today,” Plona said. “It seemed like it took us a while to realize that, even though it says Tennessee Tech on the front of their jersey, every single play could get us. And then we were kind of on our heels and playing that way all day.”

Plona also emphasized the opportunity for the Hilltoppers to grow from the loss, saying, “If we’re able to get better from this and it prepares us, and kind of in mid-December we think that this experience helped us, then we do have a chance to be a special team.”

Notable Performances

• WKU falls to 2-1 on the season and is now 84-21 all-time against Tennessee Tech.
• WKU’s starting lineup featured Sharron Young, Armelo Boone, Teagan Moore, EJ Walker and Emondrek Erkins-Ford. The group moves to 1-1 as a starting five.
• WKU finished 33-of-45 (73.3%) at the free-throw line, while Tennessee Tech went 26-of-39 (66.7%).
• WKU shot 47.5% from the field, making 29 of 61 attempts. Tennessee Tech finished at 44.8% (26-of-58).
• The Hilltoppers dominated inside, outscoring the Golden Eagles 44-14 in the paint.
• WKU’s bench contributed 40 points compared to 18 for Tennessee Tech.
• The Hilltoppers scored 22 points off Tennessee Tech’s 17 turnovers. The Golden Eagles scored 11 points off WKU’s 15 turnovers.
• WKU held a 16-10 advantage in fast-break points and a 12-10 edge in offensive rebounds.
• WKU outscored Tennessee Tech 53-47 in the second half, shooting 54.5% from the field during the period.