WKU Women’s Basketball put on a Valentine’s Day show for Diddle Arena Saturday afternoon, defeating Jacksonville State 56-41 for its first conference win in over a month.
The Lady Toppers’ tenacious defense forced 21 turnovers from the Gamecocks, which they converted into 22 points. WKU also dominated inside, scoring 32 and giving up just two points in the paint.
“I was really proud of the communication and the effort on the defensive end,” Head Coach Greg Collins said.
Sophomore guard Salma Khedr was a force to be reckoned with. She grabbed four rebounds and scored a team-high 16 points on 50% from the field and 3-point range.
Redshirt sophomore forward Tatum Boettjer and senior guard Tia Shelling joined Khedr in double figures, scoring 11 and 10, respectively. Shelling also recorded a team-high five steals.
“When you mess up, she’ll be there, and she makes plays,” Collins said about Shelling. “I was really proud of that tonight.”
A rather lackluster start for the Lady Toppers allowed a 9-0 Gamecock scoring run to start the game, all of which were 3-pointers. WKU did not manage a bucket through the first six minutes but found momentum in a 7-0 run. The Lady Toppers trailed 13-7 after the first.
WKU’s defense started clicking in the second quarter, grabbing steals and forcing multiple turnovers. The Lady Toppers converted their effective defense into successful offense, going on an 8-0 run to outscore the Gamecocks 19-14 in the period. WKU trailed by just one at halftime.
The Lady Toppers looked unrecognizable during the third quarter. They held the Gamecocks to just six points in the period on 15.4% shooting.WKU took advantage, scoring 20 on 50% shooting from the floor. The Lady Toppers led 46-33 going into the final frame.
JSU attempted to cut the deficit in the fourth quarter, but WKU’s momentum was seemingly unshakable. The Lady Toppers outscored the Gamecocks 10-8 in the final period to cement their 56-41 victory.
The win is WKU’s first since Jan. 10 and snaps an eight-game losing streak. The Lady Toppers are now 6-18 overall and 2-11 in Conference USA.
“Expect the unexpected from us,” Shelling said. “We’re still a great team. None of those (previous) losses define us.”
WKU returns to action in Diddle Arena next Saturday afternoon to face Middle Tennessee in the second “100 Miles of Hate” battle of the season.
