Basketball Revenge is Sweet for WKU Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky 63
Evansville 57

Final from Bowling Green, Kentucky

Game recap by WKU:

Western Kentucky University (4-3) turned up the defensive intensity in the second half, and behind a crucial 15-5 run, rallied from a nine-point half deficit to hand the University of Evansville (4-3) a 63-57 loss on Tuesday night at E.A. Diddle Arena. The victory avenges the Hilltoppers worst loss of last season, a 32-point setback at Roberts Stadium.

Steffphon Pettigrew and Jeremy Evans each registered double doubles, becoming the first Hilltopper duo to accomplish that feat since Anthony Winchester (25 points, 11 rebounds) and Elgrace Wilborn (10 points, 10 rebounds) on February 24, 2005 in an 85-83 overtime home win over rival Middle Tennessee, a span of 145 games.

Pettigrew poured in a team-high 18 points to go with a career-best 13 rebounds, his second career double double. Evans contributed 10 points and 11 boards for his 10th career double double while Sergio Kerusch chipped in 14 points off the bench.

Evans converted a turnaround hook off an inbounds pass from AJ Slaughter 1:26 into the final frame to cut the halftime hole to 37-30, but Colt Ryan countered with one of his four three-pointers on the night, quickly pushing the bulge to the largest of the game, 40-30, with 18:21 to play. Ryan led all scorers with 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting.

As WKU began to chip away at the lead, first on a free throw from Kerusch and then a fastbreak bucket from Nemanja Milosevic, Slaughter really ramped up the surge with a slashing lay-up with 16:52 remaining. It was the first points of the game for the senior guard and resulted in a quick timeout by Evansville.

The Purple Aces got a bucket from Ned Cox with 15:53 on the clock, but Kerusch's three from the top of the key followed by a Jameson Tipping steal and pass ahead for a Kerusch lay-up capped off a 10-2 run and pulled the Toppers with a basket at 42-40 with 15:20 to play. After committing just two first half turnovers, Evansville made four miscues in the opening five minutes of the final stanza, fueling the Hilltopper comeback.

A Pettigrew three with 12:15 remaining tied the game at 45-45, and a Slaughter triple at the 9:32 mark gave WKU its first lead since 9:51 of the first half. As a team, WKU attempted a season-high 26 threes, converting nine. Slaughter finished with five points to go with four assists in 36 minutes, snapping his streak of consecutive games scoring in double figures at 24.

The lead seesawed back and forth over the next three minutes until a pair of Evans' free throws gave WKU the lead for good at 52-51 with 7:00 to play. Pettigrew's steal and slam on the ensuing possession made it a three-point edge while an Evans dunk at 5:22 increased it to 56-51.
Evansville pulled within one at 56-55 with 3:12 to play, but a big Kerusch three followed by 2-of-2 free throw shooting performances from Anthony Sally and Evans inside the final 14 seconds sealed the 63-57 win.

In the first half, trailing 19-17, the Purple Aces rattled off 10-straight points to take command 27-19 on a three-point play from Ryan with 5:50 left until half. The key play in the spurt was a three-pointer from the wing by Ryan, against double-team coverage and an expiring shot clock, to give Evansville the lead 22-19.

WKU shot just 41.1 percent, including 7-of-26 from long range (26.9 percent), but won the battle of the boards 43-34 and committed only five second half turnovers. Evansville shot 32.0 percent in the second half, finishing 23-of-60 for the game (38.3 percent).

WKU will travel to Nashville, Tenn. on Friday, December 11 to take on 24th-ranked Vanderbilt at the Sommet Center at 8:30 PM, part of the 2009 Sun Belt Classic. The Sommet Center is the site of the Toppers 68-54 upset of #3 Louisville last November.

Complete Recap