WKU can't keep up with No. 24 FAU

Jim Pickens, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·3 min read

Jan. 17—BOWLING GREEN — Florida Atlantic lived up to its advance billing on Monday night.

Mere hours after being ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time in program history, the No. 24 Owls rolled over Western Kentucky 76-62 before a season-best crowd of 5,206 in E.A. Diddle Arena.

"This is big for us to come into this building and get a win," Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May said. "We have so much respect for Western Kentucky's tremendous tradition in basketball, and respect for this year's team, so this is a big victory for our program.

"We played a strong second half and got the job done against a very good basketball team."

FAU (17-1, 7-0 Conference USA) won its 16th consecutive game, while snapping a modest three-game win streak for the Hilltoppers, who slipped to 11-7 overall and 3-4 within the league.

Florida Atlantic led by just a point at halftime, but dominated down the stretch.

WKU got 3-pointers from Jairus Hamilton and Dayvion McKnight to take a 41-38 lead with just over 18 minutes to play.

The Hilltoppers were still within 51-50 after a driving layup by Jordan Rawls at 13:18, but Michael Forrest scored five points in a 10-1 run that provided the visitors a 60-55 lead with 9:55 remaining.

WKU pulled within 62-55 on a Tyrone Marshall dunk at 8:24, but the Owls went on a 12-2 run to build their largest lead of the night (74-47) with just over four minutes to play.

The Hilltoppers got no closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

"Give FAU a lot of credit," WKU associate head coach Phil Cunningham said. "They came into a hostile environment and played a strong, strong game. They played tough, made tough shots, rebounded very well, played solid defense, and did what they needed to do to come out of here with a win.

"They're a legitimate Top 25 team and they proved it tonight. They have a lot of talent and they're playing with a lot of confidence — they're very, very good."

FAU opened the contest with an 8-0 run, but Luke Frampton hit two 3-pointers and scored eight points in an 11-3 spurt that tied matters with just under 14 minutes to play.

Alijah Martin hit a free throw to briefly quell the WKU rally, but another 3-pointer by Frampton and a mid-range jumper by McKnight pushed the Toppers in front 16-12.

Dontaie Allen hit a pair of 3-pointers in a 10-2 spree that put Western on top 26-18 at 5:30, but the Owls got two 3-pointers from Nick Boyd and another from Martin to close the half strong and secure a narrow 34-33 edge at intermission.

FAU was led by Boyd, who had 16 points, four assists and three steals. Off the bench, Martin scored 15 points and Johnell Davis added 14.

FAU shot 54% in the second half, making 5-of-10 shots from distance. The Owls dominated the glass, outrebounding Western by a whopping 43-25 margin — offsetting 18 floor errors.

In addition, FAU's seasoned bench outscored Western's reserves, 38-24.

Western was led by McKnight, who scored 15 points and made three steals. Rawls finished with 13 points and Frampton added 11.

The Hilltoppers shot 41% from the floor, making 9-of-22 shots from distance (41%).

"They're a Top 25 team for a reason," Frampton said of the Owls. "We went dry from the field in the second half and they seemed to make everything they shot for a long stretch.

"We've just got to go back to work and get better. There's still a lot of season to be played."

WKU, which played its second consecutive game without the services of starting guard Emmanuel Akot, returns to the hardwood on Thursday at Louisiana Tech.