TROY, Ala. (AP) — George Fant scored 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds as Western Kentucky eased past a cold-shooting Troy effort, winning 60-51 in a conference game on Saturday.
T.J. Price, Caden Dickenson, O’Karo Akamune and Chris Harrison-Docks added 9 each in a balanced effort by the Hilltoppers.
Western Kentucky (10-5, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) opened the game with a 9-0 run, but gave it up to Troy (5-9, 0-2) a few minutes later and trailed 15-14 before the Hilltoppers’ Akamune scored four consecutive points inside the paint to retake the lead going into the half, 21-17.
The Hilltoppers extended that lead to 17 in the second half on a Dickenson jumper with eight minutes to play. Troy pulled to within 6 points near game end, but was forced to foul Western Kentucky which made 3 of 4 free throws to lock it in. Troy shot only 28 percent from the field.
