Bowling Green Rallies for Impressive Women’s Basketball Win
Bowling Green, Ky. – Last night, the Lady Toppers basketball team celebrated a strong victory at E.A. Diddle Arena, decisively defeating Kentucky Wesleyan with a score of 88-61. The win marked WKU’s comeback after a previous tough game against Wichita State, with the team shooting an impressive 56.7 percent from the field— their best performance of the season.
Game Recap
The game kicked off with an early burst of energy from Josie Gilvin, who scored the first points on a putback. Fresh off the starting line, Alexis Mead quickly extended the lead to 4-0 with a smooth layup. Mead had a standout first quarter, netting a total of 13 points and helping the Lady Toppers establish a solid lead. After a swift 9-0 scoring run, WKU ended the first quarter firmly in control at 23-15.
As the second quarter began, Kentucky Wesleyan attempted a comeback, narrowing the score to eight points. But the Lady Toppers quickly responded with a commanding 13-2 run, pushing their lead to 38-19. Although the Panthers fought back, outscoring WKU 12-8 as the half drew to a close, the Lady Toppers maintained a comfortable lead of 46-31 at halftime.
Solid Performance in Second Half
The momentum continued for WKU, who opened the third quarter with a powerful 11-0 run, widening the gap to 26 points midway through. As the teams traded points back and forth throughout the third, a final push by Mariama Sow scored five straight points, concluding the quarter with the Lady Toppers leading 71-41.
The fourth quarter saw contributions from several bench players, with Salma Khedr scoring six points, followed by Torri James with five, and Caleigh-Rose West and Tia Shelling adding four points each— with Shelling hitting her first points in a WKU uniform.
Standout Players and Stats
Leading the pack was Alexis Mead, who tallied 19 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. This performance marks her third consecutive game as the team’s top scorer. Notably, she has now entered the top 10 in career steals at WKU, standing tall with 197 to her name.
In addition, Josie Gilvin shined brightly, achieving career highs of nine rebounds and five assists while scoring 10 points. Another newcomer, Zsofia Telegdy, also joined the double-digit club with 10 points.
WKU’s defense was formidable, limiting Kentucky Wesleyan to just 61 points. Impressively, the Lady Toppers have not allowed any opponents to score over 69 points this season, making their defensive record a key component of their strategy.
Voices of the Game
After the game, head coach Greg Collins expressed relief and pride in his team’s resilience. “We wanted to come back and play well,” Collins said. “It was good tonight to get back… We have to be a little more patient and deliberate about what we’re doing with the ball.”
Senior guard Alexis Mead was equally thrilled, stating, “We put in a lot of work in practice, coming off that loss. It was a tough loss for us, but we wanted to come in here and make sure we handled business.” Junior guard Josie Gilvin echoed this sentiment, emphasizing teamwork and finding the best shots were key to their success.
Looking Ahead
Next on the agenda for the Lady Toppers is a trip to Hawaii, where they will compete in the Maui Classic hosted by Oregon State. The team is set to face off against the Beavers on December 19, followed by a game against Nevada on December 20. Fans are excited to see how the Lady Toppers will perform on the national stage as they continue their season.
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