Western Kentucky (11-7, 3-4) brought the intensity in the first half, but it wasn't sustainable, as they were outscored 42-29 in the second half by Florida Atlantic (17-1, 7-0) and defeated by the Owls 76-62 in front of a packed house at Diddle Arena
The first half was about the most entertaining half of basketball that you could've got from these squads. Hilltopper nation showed up in bunches for this matchup, and they made sure the Owls heard them. Both teams shot below 40% in the first 20 minutes, mainly due to the physical defense being played and the energy brought by both teams.
This was one of the worst offensive halves that FAU has all season, and they still led by one point at the break. It was truly a boxing match, and neither team was letting up for the other. The Hilltoppers had a great gameplan for the Owls, but they allowed them to hit ten free throws compared to their three, which was ultimately the difference in the half.
The Owls came out and looked like a completely different team in the last 15 minutes. They hit a gear and broke the game open after getting multiple offensive rebounds, forcing turnovers, and knocking down open looks. Each time WKU looked like they were coming back into their own, FAU had an answer every single time, proving their worthiness of a top 25 ranking.
The Hilltoppers will have to keep a short memory after a sloppy half if they want to go on another winning streak.
"With 15 minutes to go we were tied, and we just had a bad 15 minutes," said Interim Coach Phil Cunningham. "We told our guys we aren't gonna let that 15 minutes define what's happened in the last month."
IT WAS OVER WHEN: FAU went up by double digits in the second half and their lead was never relinquished. The Owls started clicking on offense after they knocked down a couple of shots behind the arc, and before you know it, the Hilltoppers were down 12 with just a few minutes to go. WKU also struggled to score down the stretch and get quality shots, which just extended FAU's lead even further.
HE STOLE THE SHOW: Senior Luke Frampton hit his first four attempts from the field in the first half. He opened up the gates with a quick 11 points, including three three-pointers, but after he received his second foul, it was hard to keep him on the floor without a huge risk. Dayvion McKnight added 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and three steals. FAU did a great job of staying glued to McKnight, making it tough for him to get good looks.
THE STAT DOESN'T LIE: FAU's bench outscored WKU's 38-24, which played a huge factor in the game. WKU's bench has been productive all season, but they couldn't play up to their standards today. The Owls also hit 19 free throws compared to WKU's nine, a stat that's usually in the Hilltoppers favor.
WHAT A PLAY: Center Jamarion Sharp rolled to the basket off a screen and he caught a vicious lob to finish right over an FAU defender. This play got the entire building fired up and it was the loudest moment in the whole game.
THE BOTTOM LINE: WKU had a nice opening half and they showed promise, but FAU made defensive adjustments at halftime that the Hilltoppers just couldn't overcome. WKU shouldn't hang their head after tonight's loss, because they showed they can compete with a top 25 team, it's just a matter of sustaining it. The Hilltoppers will get their chance at redemption on Thursday when they take on Louisiana Tech on the road at 8:00 PM (CT).
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