Lady Toppers cruise to 2-0 start in 51-point win over CBU

What This Story Is About

• WKU women’s basketball rolled to a 94-43 victory over Christian Brothers on Sunday afternoon at E.A. Diddle Arena, improving to 2-0 on the season

Why It Matters

• The Lady Toppers had four players score in double figures, forced 24 turnovers and received 63 points from their bench. All 12 players who appeared scored and recorded at least one rebound.

What Happens Next

• WKU heads on the road for its first away game of the season, taking on No. 8 Vanderbilt on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6:30 p.m. CT in Nashville.

For Context

• WKU established control early, turning an 8-5 advantage into a 20-5 lead with a 12-0 scoring run in the first quarter.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) -The Lady Toppers struck first with a Torri James layup before Josie Gilvin converted a steal into a fast-break basket. Gilvin finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in 20 minutes.

After Christian Brothers briefly pulled within 8-5, WKU seized control with a 12-0 scoring run. Gilvin added another basket, Kamille Brown knocked down a jumper and Trinity Rowe connected from beyond the arc. Freshman Jamila Ray then scored back-to-back layups to extend the advantage. Ray finished with a game-high 25 points, shooting 8-of-10 from the floor and 8-of-11 at the free-throw line. She also contributed six rebounds and four assists.

The Lady Toppers carried a 28-17 lead into the second quarter.

Christian Brothers made a push early in the second period, but WKU answered with another offensive surge. Rowe connected on a three-pointer before Tatum Boettjer added one of her own. Boettjer finished with 11 points and three made 3-pointers.

WKU continued to create opportunities around the basket, with Ray adding to her scoring total and Ellery Minch providing another spark off the bench. Minch finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, setting career highs in both categories.

After the Buccaneers pulled within eight, the Lady Toppers closed the half on an 18-2 run to take a 51-27 advantage into the break.

WKU maintained its defensive pressure coming out of halftime, limiting Christian Brothers to seven points in the third quarter. The Lady Toppers added 19 points of their own to stretch the lead even further.

The fourth quarter brought more of the same. WKU scored 24 points while holding the Buccaneers to nine, completing a dominant 51-point victory.

Head coach Greg Collins was especially pleased with the contributions from his reserves and the opportunity to get everyone involved.

“I was really proud of the players that came off the bench and how they performed,” Collins said.

Notable Performances

Josie Gilvin and Tatum Boettjer each finished with 11 points. Gilvin went 5-of-5 from the field and added seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Boettjer connected on three shots from beyond the arc.

All 12 players who saw the floor recorded points and at least one rebound. WKU also controlled the glass, finishing with a 43-21 advantage in rebounds.

WKU received 63 points from its bench, its highest bench scoring total since the Lady Toppers recorded 66 against Ball State on Dec. 2, 2022.

The 94 points were the most scored by a WKU team since putting up 104 against Kentucky State on Nov. 9, 2024.

The Lady Toppers controlled the glass, outrebounding Christian Brothers 43-21.

WKU’s 2-0 start marks the 24th time in program history the team has won its first two games of a season.