HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- ULM saw
its season come to a close in a 74-60 loss to Western Kentucky on Friday in the
first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament inside Summit Arena.
The Hilltoppers (17-15) shot 58.3 percent from the field for the game and
knocked in 11-of-22 attempts from 3-point range to build their lead as large as
28 points early in the second half. The Warhawks put together a spirited rally
in the second half and cut the margin to 12 with just under 10 minutes to play,
but that is as close as they would get.
Freshman Kyle Koszuta led four
Warhawks in double-digit scoring with 15 points, including a career-high four
3-pointers, and did most of his damage in the second half to lead the comeback
attempt. Junior Millaun Brown
chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds, while junior Amos Olatayo and sophomore Trent
Mackey each finished with 10 points.
Junior Jayon James added
seven points, seven rebounds, six assists and a season-high six steals for the
Warhawks. His six assists moved him into sole possession of seventh place on
ULM's single-season list with a total of 137.
The Hilltoppers controlled the first half as they shot a blistering
69.2 percent from the field and pushed out to a 46-24 advantage at halftime.
WKU then scored the first six points of the second half to take its largest
lead of the game at 52-24 before ULM made its charge.
The Warhawks (4-23) scored nine straight points, capped by a 3 from Koszuta to
cut the lead to 19 with 15:35 to play. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Koszuta and
Mackey cut the deficit to 58-45 with 11:55 remaining and Koszuta's final 3 of
the game made it 60-48 with 9:16 to play.
WKU's T.J. Price answered
the ULM run by scoring seven straight points to put the game away. Price finished
with a game-high 18 points for the Hilltoppers while George Fant went 6-of-6 from the field and finished with 12 points.
