Courtesy of WKU Atheltics
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU men’s basketball fell to Wichita State, 91-84, on Monday Night in Diddle Arena to open the 2024-25 season.
Senior forward Babacar Faye posted a career night, charting 28 points and surpassing his previous game high of 15. Senior guard Don McHenry and freshman guard Julius Thedford also added double-figure point totals in the loss, tallying 21 and 11, respectively.
WKU’s first points of the season came 53 seconds into the game with a pair of Faye free throws. Trailing 15-13, Don McHenry connected on a three as he was fouled to pull WKU in front 17-15.
WKU capitalized on an 8-2 run to take a 25-17 lead. McHenry, Faye and senior guard Enoch Kalambay contributed to the run. The two teams went back and forth with the Shockers cutting the Hilltopper lead down to just one with 2:51 left in the half.
The Shockers ended the first half on an 8-0 run. The Shockers charted an 8-for-16 mark from three, while the Tops finished 3-for-14 in the first frame from deep.
Faye scored the Hilltoppers’ first six points of the second half before McHenry grabbed a rebound and knocked down another three to regain the lead, 47-46.
The Tops broke 50 first as McHenry was fouled on his way up to the rack, connecting on the conventional three up 50-48. Faye managed an end around to tie the game at 52 heading into the under-16 media timeout.
Out of the break, Wichita connected on its 10th three of the game to take a 55-54 lead. The Hilltoppers went on a 2:36 scoreless stretch allowing Wichita State to jump ahead by nine, the Shockers’ largest lead of the game. Graduate transfer Braxton Bayless hit a free throw with 8:38 left to cut the deficit to eight and snap the drought. Thedford snapped a five-minute streak without a field goal with seven minutes and cut the margin to six with 5:20 to play, trailing 75-69. The Hilltoppers were able to pull within three points late in the second period before falling to the Shockers, 91-84.
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