Hilloppers take out Racers in OT

[ad_1]

BOWLING GREEN — Something is beginning to feel special about Hank Plona’s first basketball team at Western Kentucky.

The Hilltoppers rallied from 12 points down behind a stupendous performance from senior guard Don McHenry to upend longtime rival Murray State 81-76 in overtime before a raucous crowd on Saturday afternoon in E.A. Diddle Arena

Since dropping its first two games, WKU has won seven of eight — losing only at Kentucky during that stretch.

“Our guys did a sensational job of persevering through a lot of ups and downs in this one,” Plona said. “The togetherness that we showed on both ends of the floor is what pulled us through.

“Murray is an elite-level basketball team, they’re really good, and I couldn’t be more proud of how our team closed this one out.”

The Racers seemed to have the game in control with just under seven minutes to play when KyeRon Lindsay’s tip-in pushed the visitors in front 63-55. More significantly, WKU lost the services of star forward Babacar Faye, who exited the contest at 6:58 with a right knee injury.

But that’s when Western dug in.

Tyrone Marshall and Don McHenry knocked down consecutive 3-pointers in a 14-4 run. A six-footer by McHenry in the lane tied the score at 0:34 of regulation.

Nick Ellington misfired for the Racers at 0:08, and Marshall’s left-wing 3-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out.

“Our last defensive stop in regulation was exceptional,” Plona said. “That’s a situation where you have to play great defense without fouling, and our guys were terrific with the game on the line.”

In overtime, Western scored four of the first six points, but Murray answered with a 5-0 spurt and AJ Ferguson’s fastbreak layup left the Racers with a 74-71 advantage with 1:31 remaining.

But Khristian Lander hit a 12-footer and McHenry followed with the key shot of the game — a 24-foot step-back 3 — that put the Hilltoppers on top 76-74 at 0:38.

“That’s Don,” Plona said. “It takes a tremendous amount of fortitude…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/hilloppers-racers-ot-045900406.html

Author : Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

Publish date : 2024-12-16 04:59:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.