WKU’s newcomers impressive in first game as Toppers
November 8, 2011
Before the question could even be
completed, freshman Derrick Gordon laughed about how nervous he was
heading in to Saturday’s exhibition game against Xavier
(La.).
“First college basketball game — I
believe every freshman goes through it. I had butterflies,” Gordon
said. “But once I got my first bucket and got the crowd involved, I
fed off the crowd.”
It was the first chance for nine
newcomers to play a game in front of the Diddle Arena
crowd.
After a slow start, WKU — which
started three freshmen — outlasted Xavier for a 73-61
victory.
Freshman forward Nigel Snipes said
he too felt some “jitters” when he took the court.
Head Coach Ken McDonald said that’s
natural for young players to feel that way. But he said he didn’t
see nerves affecting the young players like he expected.
“There were a couple times when it
was all freshmen on the court and you think you’re going to see
some really sloppy basketball,” he said. “But we’re going to throw
these guys in the fire. Everyone knows it. Everyone knows they’re
going to play.”
Snipes and Gordon both said once the
game got going, out went the nerves.
Snipes posted a double-double — 11
points and 11 rebounds — while Gordon led all scorers with 17
points to go along with three rebounds and three steals.
Freshman forward George Fant and
freshman guard T.J. Price started alongside Gordon. Fant scored
seven points and pulled down five rebounds while Price scored 12
points.
Gordon played 36 minutes — the most
of any player on the floor.
Senior guard Kahlil McDonald praised
Gordon’s stamina as well as Snipes’ double-double and said he was
impressed by how well the newcomers played their first time
out.
“I think they did
good,” he said. “A bunch of young guys, a lot of true freshmen.
They did real good — played hard. I think they all put in a good
amount of work.”
Of the seven newcomers who played,
six scored and totaled 50 of WKU’s 73 points.
Along with Gordon, Snipes and Price, Kahlil McDonald
was the other Topper in double figures with 11 points.
The balanced scoring is something Ken McDoanld said
he hopes to see the rest of the season.
“If everyone can contribute, I think everyone’s going
to be happy,” he said. “There’s different ways to contribute — some
might be scoring, some might be rebounding, some might be a
defensive presence.”
Sophomore forward Stephon Drane and
junior guard Caden Dickerson both sat out Saturday. Drane is still
recovering from a hyper-extended knee, while Dickerson was nursing
a sore shoulder that he hurt in practice last week.
Dickerson is expected back this week
and ready for WKU’s season-opener against St. Joseph’s on
Friday.
Until that game, Ken McDonald said
there are a few things for the Toppers to work on.
“Our post defense needs to get
significantly better,” he said. “I thought our perimeter defense
was pretty good, but now we just can’t allow the ball in the post
that easy.
“We’ve got to make a big jump in the
next week and continue to work on that, but this is a good starting
point.”