text: Hilltoppers ease past Louisiana-Monroe | WKU Sports | bgdailynews.com
  Hilltoppers ease past Louisiana-Monroe
  Facing the league's worst team Thursday night, Western Kentucky took care of business by stomping Louisiana-Monroe 75-57 at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers (14-14, 8-9) improved to 13-2 against teams with a losing record and 4-0 all-time at home against the Warhawks (4-19, 3-14). They also broke a three-game losing streak and eight different players scored. Western Kentucky led by 20 early in the second half before staving off one last ULM spurt which cut it to 12. The Tops extended it back out to 21 before the night was done.
  Both teams endured slow offensive starts to work themselves into a 7-7 tie early. The Hilltoppers then went on a 12-2 run to open a 10-point lead, getting a three-point play from T.J. Price, two from Aleksejs Rostov who Price found open low on the block and a 3 from Price on the left wing. The Hilltoppers went up 25-13 as Jamal Crook and Rostov worked the pick-and-roll on the right side of the court. R.J. McCray's jumper from the left for ULM cut it to 25-19, but WKU responded with a Brandon Harris 3 out of the right corner and a putback by Stephon Drane. The Tops had a chance to extend the lead up 34-22 just before the break, but turned it over and took the 12-point lead into the break instead. Western Kentucky came out with assertiveness in the second half, getting a putback dunk from Fant, a two-handed slam from Rostov and five straight from Crook to go up 43-27. Price made it an even 20 with another 3 to give WKU a 51-31 lead, but then the Tops began to come apart at the seams a bit.
  Louisiana-Monroe went on an 11-3 run, finished off by Kyle Koszuta's steal and layup with 10:58 to play. It would be as close as the Warhawks would get. Fant scored 15 and pulled down nine rebounds, Price had 15 as well, Crook scored 13 and dealt out seven assists and Harris finished with 12. Amos Olatayo led ULM with 18 while Trent Mackey had 13 and Jayon James had 11. Milliaun Brown brought down 12 rebounds. Western Kentucky travels to Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday for its final regular-season road game.