It wasn’t pretty, but WKU Men’s Basketball is 1-0 on the season. 

Despite a performance that left a lot to be desired, the Hilltoppers made key clutch plays to defeat Tennessee Tech 82-70 in their first game of the season. 

It was a sloppy performance from a team that looked stellar in its two exhibition games, proving its scheme is still a work in progress. 

All that matters is that you win, and starting the season with a win despite not playing their best basketball might be a sign that this team can be great. 

To quote Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, “I think the good teams win even when they play bad, and bad teams always find a way to lose games, even when they’re up.”

What’s Good? 

Teagan Moore. 

Hilltopper fans will be saying his name all season. 

Moore put up 16 points following his 25-point performance against UAB, in which he shot 8-11 from the field. Moore scored clutch buckets down the stretch when Tech cut the lead to six multiple times in the second half.

The Hilltopper bench proved to be a true strength, scoring 46 points, led by senior forward Bryant Selebangue. Selebangue had a double-double, totaling 14 points and 10 rebounds in 20 minutes of action. 

Graduate guard Terrion Murdix played a key role in the contest, coming off the bench to score 13 points in just 19 minutes of play.

“He’s the reason we won the game,” Head Coach Hank Plona said.

Senior guard Ryan Myers came up big off the bench, stepping up in some big moments, finishing the game with 11 points.

Don’t be surprised if the Hilltoppers have five or more scorers averaging double-digits throughout this season. 

What needs to improve? 

A bigger concern for the Hilltoppers may be the selfish play on offense at certain points of this game. 

The Hilltopper offense dominated when passing to teammates to set up open shots, and this offensive power built a double-digit lead. The offense grew stagnant after that, and the Eagles took advantage, cutting the lead to single digits on multiple occasions. 

“When the lead got close, we got back on both ends, locking down and playing winning basketball,” Plona said. “When the lead got to 13-15, we got reckless and out of character.” 

The offensive stall might stem from players trying to prove their worth on the court and fighting for a spot in the starting lineup, as Plona has repeatedly stated, the starters are not set in stone. 

“We’re trying to play a lot of guys,” Plona said. “Playing times are not a charity, you have to go out there and produce and do your job.”

A major concern for the season is the lack of a dominant center. The center rotation currently consists of seniors Blaise Keita and Noah Boyde. Keita started for the team, played just eight minutes, and scored zero points. Boyde fared slightly better, playing just eight minutes and scoring two points. 

The Hilltoppers struggled at times on the glass as a result, outrebounding the Eagles 42-36, and allowing 13 second-chance points as a result. 

The lack of a true big man in the paint could be a serious hole for the Hilltoppers both offensively and defensively. WKU needs a player to emerge in the position before tough pre-conference opponents in games like the Battle 4 Atlantis, not to mention in conference play.

It is the first game of the season, and these players have put together just a few months of practicing as a unit. The center rotation could become much more solid and dependable by the end of the season.

Coach Plona stated after the first exhibition game against Kentucky Wesleyan that this team’s three-point shooting shouldn’t be a concern. 

This offensive struggle was the major reason the Hilltoppers could never put Tennessee Tech away, as the bad shots allowed the Eagles to burn the Hilltoppers in transition for easy baskets. 

It’s still early in the season, but the Hilltoppers have yet to have a great mark from long range. The Tops shot just 4-21 in both exhibition contests against Kentucky Wesleyan and UAB, and didn’t fare much better against the Eagles, shooting 2-11. 

There is reason to believe the three-point shooting will improve, as the Hilltoppers’ game plan for these contests relied on dominating the paint and setting up easy layups. 

What’s the outlook? 

The Hilltoppers are 1-0, and that’s what truly matters. Whether they prove to be lingering issues or small nitpicks, however, is yet to be seen.. 

It’s also game one of a 31-game regular season. This is an entirely new team that lost its top eight scorers from a season ago, so it will take time to find its footing. 

Next up for the Hilltoppers is a trip to Richmond to take on Eastern Kentucky, which will answer major questions about who this team will be.