Western Kentucky (17-11, 9-6 C-USA) extended their winning streak to seven on Saturday, defeating Old Dominion (10-17, 5-9 C-USA) 73-64 at Diddle Arena.
The Hilltoppers showcased their sharpshooting in the first half, blistering the nets for 43.8% (7-16) from beyond the arc to establish a 44-30 halftime lead.
The Hilltoppers struggled in the second half, shooting 6.7% (1-15) from three, but prevailed.
The win over Old Dominion marks the Hilltoppers' seventh-straight win and longest winning streak since the 2014-15 season.
The matchup was incredibly physical as a couple of key players left the game early on both sides as WKU senior forward Jairus Hamilton and Old Dominion senior forward Austin Trice exited the game with injuries.
Dayvion McKnight led Western Kentucky's offense with 23 points and seven rebounds.
Camron Justice was also explosive on offense, recording 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Luke Frampton and Josh Anderson combined for 22 points, scoring 11 points each. Frampton also recorded six rebounds while Anderson grabbed nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Old Dominion's offense was led by sophomore guard Jaylin Hunter, who recorded 20 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Kalu Ezikpe was also crucial to the Monarchs' offense, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists.
Guard C.J. Keyser fouled out late in the second half, but managed to record 11 points and two assists.
Western Kentucky also won the rebounding battle 40-38 and also recorded nine turnovers, 14 points off turnovers and eight assist.
Old Dominion also recorded 38 rebounds, 13 turnovers, 11 points off turnovers and 11 assists.
Halftime Synopsis
McKnight was leading Western Kentucky's offense with 17 points and five rebounds at the break
Jairus Hamilton recorded seven points before suffering an injury as he limped towards the locker room at 3:52.
Jaylin Hunter led Old Dominion at the break with 10 points and three rebounds. Austin Trice recorded seven points and three rebounds.
The Hilltoppers also had 18 rebounds, four turnovers, 12 points off turnovers and six assists.
The Monarchs were winning the rebounding battle 21-18 at the half while also grabbing seven turnovers, four points off turnovers and six assists.
Takeaways
Seven-straight plus well-deserved rest: With tonight's victory over Old Dominion, the Hilltoppers have won seven-straight, improving to 17-11 overall and 9-6 in C-USA play. Western Kentucky is now in the midst of the longest winning streak since the 2014-15 season and has jumped into second-place in the East Division with the win. WKU has a whole week off before heading to Middle Tennessee next Saturday.
Hamilton goes down: Senior forward Jairus Hamilton was a crucial component to Western Kentucky's offense in the first half, recording seven points, one rebound and one assist. Hamilton's time on the court was cut short after suffering an apparent injury to his leg. Hamilton rolled around on the floor for a few moments before limping away to the locker room, not returning until the second half. Hamilton had ice on his knee as he sat on the bench for the remainder of play. In the postgame press conference, Stansbury noted that the trainers believe Hamilton has a strained patella tendon but an official diagnosis hasn't been determined.
McKnight played his heart out: Sophomore guard Dayvion McKnight tallied 40 minutes once again, leading WKU in scoring with 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting. McKnight has led the Hilltoppers in scoring the last three games, including 22 against Charlotte and 26 against Southern Miss.
Cozart comes in clutch: Junior forward Isaiah Cozart was on the bench for the vast majority of the game, subbing in at 6:31 in the second half as Jamarion Sharp exited the game, having committed his fifth foul. Cozart certainly made the most of his minutes, recording two important offensive rebounds which turned into four points for the Hilltoppers.
Postgame:
Western Kentucky will be back in action on Saturday as they head to Murfreesboro to take on Middle Tennessee. The opening tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and the game will air on ESPN+.
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