Friday, January 2
Bowling Green, Ky.
4:00 PM
8-5,0-2CUSA
91
at
102
WKU
8-5,1-1CUSA
1
2
F
Sam Houston
49
42
91
WKU
42
60
102
Photo by: Evan Lee
Second half woes trip Kats on the road
1/2/2026 6:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Sam Houston stumbled to begin the second half which allowed Western Kentucky to steal a 102-91 victory in Conference USA play on Friday at Diddle Arena.
The Bearkats (8-5) dropped to 0-2 in league action with both losses coming on the road. Sam Houston has had to open CUSA on the road in back-to-back seasons.
Isaiah Manning was Sam Houston's leading scorer with 23 points, and Po'Boigh King added 21. Veljko Ilic posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards in a game the Kats were in front for the majority.
The Bearkats built off its seven-point half time lead to open the second, but their perimeter defense allowed Western Kentucky to get back in it. The Hilltoppers made four of their 14 3-pointers in the first six minutes to take their first lead of the game at 63-61.
Ilic, who scored 12 points in the first half, made a layup to get Sam Houston back within one. Western Kentucky got it back up to seven then the Kats turned it on.
Kashie Natt made a pair of free throws, and Ilic, King and Manning all scored as Sam Houston retook the lead at 70-69 midway through the half.
As quickly as the shots fell, they stopped, however. The Hilltoppers made it a nine-point game thanks to a 10-0 run as the Bearkats never recovered, allowing Western Kentucky to shoot 46 percent from the field and 41 percent from long range.
The first half was much better. The Kats jumped out to a 7-0 lead by getting to the foul line and getting baskets by Justin Begg, who finished with 13 points, and Ilic as Sam Houston also had two steals and four rebounds during the first three minutes.
The Hilltoppers got going and cut the lead to 8-7, but Manning drilled a 3 from the left corner. Ilic then hit a free throw after getting fouled on a putback to make it a five-point game.
The Kats showed some toughness in the first half when King took an elbow to the jaw only to bounce back to drop a jumper to extend the lead to 14-7. Ilic scored back-to-back buckets as Sam Houston went up 10 with just under 12 minutes to go in the half.
Western Kentucky managed to get back within one again only to see the Kats swat the Hilltoppers away once more in the final minutes of the first.
After a steal, King drilled a 3 from the top left wing, and another defensive stop led to a layup by Damon Nicholas Jr. for the biggest lead of the first half at 42-28. Western Kentucky got a bank shot from halfcourt to fall to make it a seven-point lead at the break.
The Bearkats wrap up this road trip on Sunday against Middle Tennessee State at 1 p.m.
The Bearkats (8-5) dropped to 0-2 in league action with both losses coming on the road. Sam Houston has had to open CUSA on the road in back-to-back seasons.
Isaiah Manning was Sam Houston's leading scorer with 23 points, and Po'Boigh King added 21. Veljko Ilic posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 boards in a game the Kats were in front for the majority.
The Bearkats built off its seven-point half time lead to open the second, but their perimeter defense allowed Western Kentucky to get back in it. The Hilltoppers made four of their 14 3-pointers in the first six minutes to take their first lead of the game at 63-61.
Ilic, who scored 12 points in the first half, made a layup to get Sam Houston back within one. Western Kentucky got it back up to seven then the Kats turned it on.
Kashie Natt made a pair of free throws, and Ilic, King and Manning all scored as Sam Houston retook the lead at 70-69 midway through the half.
As quickly as the shots fell, they stopped, however. The Hilltoppers made it a nine-point game thanks to a 10-0 run as the Bearkats never recovered, allowing Western Kentucky to shoot 46 percent from the field and 41 percent from long range.
The first half was much better. The Kats jumped out to a 7-0 lead by getting to the foul line and getting baskets by Justin Begg, who finished with 13 points, and Ilic as Sam Houston also had two steals and four rebounds during the first three minutes.
The Hilltoppers got going and cut the lead to 8-7, but Manning drilled a 3 from the left corner. Ilic then hit a free throw after getting fouled on a putback to make it a five-point game.
The Kats showed some toughness in the first half when King took an elbow to the jaw only to bounce back to drop a jumper to extend the lead to 14-7. Ilic scored back-to-back buckets as Sam Houston went up 10 with just under 12 minutes to go in the half.
Western Kentucky managed to get back within one again only to see the Kats swat the Hilltoppers away once more in the final minutes of the first.
After a steal, King drilled a 3 from the top left wing, and another defensive stop led to a layup by Damon Nicholas Jr. for the biggest lead of the first half at 42-28. Western Kentucky got a bank shot from halfcourt to fall to make it a seven-point lead at the break.
The Bearkats wrap up this road trip on Sunday against Middle Tennessee State at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
SHSU
WKU
FG%
.466
.459
3FG%
.357
.400
FT%
.684
.741
RB
40
49
TO
12
13
STL
10
9
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
5
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
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