WKU defeats Alice Lloyd College 104-62 as Ray Harper wins 400th Career Game

WKU finished it’s nonconference schedule Monday night with a 104-62 win over Alice Lloyd College, using a barrage of three-pointers to blowout the Eagles. The win was head coach Ray Harper’s 400th career victory.

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In some games, everything seems to go right for a team. To the delight of Hilltopper fans, Monday night’s dominating victory against Alice Lloyd College was one of those games.

The Hilltoppers were led by Trency Jackson’s 19 points and five three-pointers. T.J. Price added 18 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, while Chris Harrison-Docks scored 11 and dished out eight assists. George Fant recorded yet another double-double, scoring 15 and grabbing 10 boards.

WKU did a great job sharing the ball — every Hilltopper who played scored, and the team had 22 assists in the game. As a team, WKU made 15 three-pointers, tying the record for most threes made by a Hilltopper team at Diddle Arena. It’s 39 attempts tied the school record.

Defensively, WKU held Alice Lloyd to 33.9 percent shooting, and forced the Eagles into 20 turnovers. The Hilltoppers also had seven steals, and won the rebounding battle 55-36.

Alice Lloyd’s lone bright spot was guard Trevor Tiller, who scored 20 points for the Eagles (including the team’s first 11 points). However, after hitting his first three attempts from long range, the Hilltoppers clamped down on defense and held Tiller to only nine points the rest of the game.

There was plenty to be happy about with WKU’s performance, and Harper praised his team after the game, saying he didn’t think the Hilltoppers were the same team as a month ago. He added that he liked where the team is right now, especially mentally.

The win was Harper’s 400th career victory as a head coach in 504 games. He now has a .794 career winning percentage as a head coach.

WKU finishes its nonconference schedule at 7-5, with wins against Ole Miss, Saint Joseph’s and Bowling Green. The Hilltoppers now turn their attention to conference play, and will welcome Marshall to Diddle Arena next Sunday afternoon. WKU will look to avenge last season’s loss, when it fell to the Thundering Herd 74-64 in Huntington.

GAME NOTES:

• Freshman standout Justin Johnson did not play after suffering a concussion in Saturday’s game against Brescia.
• Trency Jackson’s five three-pointers were a career-high.
• George Fant’s 15 points and 10 rebounds marked his second double-double this season, and first since the Hilltoppers’ Thanksgiving day win against Saint Joseph’s.
• WKU’s 22 assists were a season-high.
• South Warren High School graduate Cody Stumbo had five points and a game-high 12 rebounds for Alice Lloyd.