On Jan. 21, WKU Men’s Basketball lost to Liberty 76-69 at Diddle Arena. In that game, sophomore guard Teagan Moore was injured in the final minute.
Exactly one month later, Moore got his get back. The Hilltoppers’ leading scorer put up 21 points and went 3-3 from beyond the arc, showing composure against the conference’s top defense.
While Moore has been a volume scorer all season, his perfect mark from beyond the arc was particularly impactful, forcing the Liberty defense to stay extended, which opened up for WKU’s 40 points in the paint.
Moore’s impact has been felt since his return against Middle Tennessee State on Feb. 14. He’s averaging 25.3 points per game since his return, with the Hilltoppers averaging 88 points per game in that span. WKU scored 80 points twice while Moore was sidelined due to injury.
Moore logged 31 minutes on the floor, the second highest on the team. Beyond his scoring, he contributed significantly to WKU’s dominance on the boards, which was a major factor in the game. He grabbed four rebounds (three offensive), contributing to the Hilltoppers’ 34–20 rebounding advantage.
Despite the high usage rate, Moore finished the game with zero turnovers, a critical stat against a Liberty team that averages 6.63 steals per game.
The win was a must-win for WKU, which, after turning its season around after a rough January, has placed itself in a position to grab the second seed for the Conference USA tournament from Sam Houston. The Hilltoppers and Bearkats split the regular season series, but the finale for the team from Huntsville, Texas, could prove to be the deciding factor for the two-seed.
Liberty split its regular-season series with WKU but is currently 1-0 versus Sam Houston. Defeating the Bearkats again would open the door for WKU to take the second seed if their records are the same, as that is the next decider according to tiebreaker rules.
The March 7th finale for Sam Houston at Liberty is the one to watch. After WKU proved the Flames can burn out, they will be looking to re-establish dominance before the tournament, which could play right into the Hilltoppers’ hands.
The Hilltoppers’ outlook depends heavily on Moore’s health and consistency. Since returning from his head injury, he has been the best player on the floor. If he continues to shoot near 50% from the field alongside Grant Newell and LJ Hackman, WKU is arguably the most dangerous team in CUSA. The main focus now should be on defending home court against New Mexico State.
