WKU Men’s Basketball snapped their four game losing streak, defeating rival Middle Tennessee State 65-60 on Saturday afternoon.

Redshirt Sophomore guard Teagan Moore missed his third straight game with concussion symptoms. Moore leads the Hilltoppers in points per game (17.2) and is second in assists per game (2.4).

The Hilltoppers found their offense once again, shooting 37.5% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. Redshirt freshman guard Kade Unseld led the Hilltoppers with a season-high 17 points.

The bench for WKU continued to contribute points in big ways, responsible for 38 points. Freshman guard Armelo Boone returned to the court after missing the last two games, scoring 12 points. Senior forward Grant Newell contributed 10 points, his sixth straight game with double-figures.

The defense for the Hilltoppers came up huge, forcing 12 turnovers, eight of which in the first half. WKU was able to turn defense into offense, scoring 11 points off turnovers.

It was all MTSU early, taking a 19-13 lead early. A put-back by graduate forward Blaise Keita gave all of the momentum to the Hilltoppers. Led by eight points by Unseld, WKU closed out the first half on a 17-4 run to take a 30-23 lead at halftime.

Senior guard Kamari Lands did all he did for the Blue Raiders, leading MTSU with 25 points. Lands led the Blue Raiders to a quick 8-0 run in the final two minutes of play, cutting the deficit to 62-60. Despite the run, a 10 point deficit was too much for MTSU to overcome.

Despite being outscored 37-35 in the second half, WKU was able to put the game to bed from two free throws by Ryan Myers, to end their losing streak. The Hilltoppers continue to be superb from the free-throw line, shooting 80%. 

WKU returns back to Diddle Arena Thursday night to take on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks.