WKU Hilltopper Basketball rode 62 first-half points to a 100-86 victory over Nicholls on Sunday at E.A. Diddle Arena.
The Hilltoppers (2-1) shot 68.6 percent before halftime and built a 62-32 advantage at the break, but Nicholls (2-2) trimmed its deficit as low as 10 multiple times in the final minutes.
WKU held on with six players in double figures scoring for the second straight game, led by 23 points from freshman guard Taveion Hollingsworth. The newcomer had 18 points on 8-of-8 shooting in the first half and finished with six assists and five rebounds.
Senior forward Dwight Coleby registered his second straight double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, and senior forward Justin Johnson tallied his 26th career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Freshman guard Jake Ohmer also scored 14 points, while senior guard Darius Thompson added 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Freshman forward Marek Nelson scored 10 points, and redshirt junior Lamonte Bearden had eight points and four assists before fouling out.
Nicholls led 15-14 about five minutes into the first half when WKU took control with a 23-0 run, surging to a 37-15 advantage on a three-point play by Coleby at the 8:40 mark.
The Hilltoppers made 24 of 35 shots in the first half and finished the game with a 58-34 advantage on points in the paint. WKU had 45 free throw attempts but only converted 26 for a 57.8 percent clip.
Roddy Peters led Nicholls with 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
The Hilltoppers now head for three games next week in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, starting at 1:30 p.m. CT Wednesday against No. 5 Villanova on ESPN2.
How to follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Hilltopper Basketball, follow the team’s social media channels, @WKUBasketball on Twitter, @WKUBasketball on Instagram, and WKU Basketball on Facebook.
-@WKUSports-
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Zach Greenwell
Associate Director
WKU Athletic Communications/Media Relations
