WKU women’s basketball continued its impressive start to the 2023-24 season, securing a 62-54 victory against Cornell on Monday night at E.A. Diddle Arena. With this win, the Lady Toppers boast a perfect 3-0 record, marking their best start through three games since the 2014-15 season.
Head Coach Greg Collins commended the team’s defensive efforts, emphasizing their disruptive play on the court. “We’re putting a lot of effort into the defensive end,” said Collins. “We’re disruptive, and that’s kind of the goal. There are still areas we obviously need to continue to work at, but I like how hard they’re playing. We played hard. When you play hard, you can make mistakes and still recover from them.”
WKU’s defense proved formidable, limiting Cornell, which entered the game averaging 70.0 points per game, to just 54 points. The Lady Toppers forced Cornell into 27 turnovers and capitalized with 37 points off those miscues. With 19 steals in this game, WKU has maintained an impressive average of 17.3 steals per game this season. The team’s defense has been particularly effective under Collins, boasting a 32-6 record when holding opponents below 60 points.
Leading the scoring for WKU was Acacia Hayes, who delivered an impressive 18-point performance, including nine crucial points in the fourth quarter. Aaliyah Pitts contributed 10 points, while Alexis Mead showcased her versatility with nine points, five assists, four steals, and four rebounds. Teresa Faustino also made significant contributions with nine points, five steals, three rebounds, and three assists.
Coach Collins achieved a milestone with his 50th win inside Diddle Arena, where he maintains an impressive winning percentage of 72.5% (50-19). The victory also marked his 89th win as head coach, surpassing Steve Small for the fourth most wins all-time at WKU.
The game saw WKU taking control early, connecting on four three-pointers in the first quarter and securing an 18-15 lead. The Lady Toppers extended their lead in the second quarter, outscoring Cornell 14-7 to take a 32-22 advantage into halftime.
WKU carried the momentum into the third quarter, scoring the first four points and building a 21-point lead during a 15-4 run. However, Cornell mounted a comeback, outscoring WKU 8-0 and reducing the deficit to 47-34 by the end of the third quarter.
Cornell’s momentum continued into the fourth quarter, where they outscored WKU 8-2 in the first four minutes, cutting the lead to seven. In response, Acacia Hayes took charge in the final six minutes, scoring nine points to secure the win for the Lady Toppers.
Looking ahead, WKU women’s basketball will face Vanderbilt on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 6:30 p.m. in Nashville, Tennessee. The Lady Toppers aim to maintain their winning streak and further solidify their standing in the 2023-24 season.
