Ohio holds off W Kentucky 89-84 behind Laster's 23 points
ATHENS, Ohio -- Mike Laster scored 23 points and all five of his free throws, Kevin Mickle added 17 points, and Ohio held off a late Western Kentucky run to win 89-84 on Sunday, ending the Hilltoppers' three-game win streak.
Tevyion Kirk scored 17 points with 9 of 11 free throws and Ohio (5-4) made 31 free throws to the Western Kentucky's 15 but was outscored 50-34 in the paint. James Gollon scored 13 points with three 3-pointers and Jason Carter added 12.
The Hilltoppers trailed by as many as 17 in the second half but rallied to within seven points on Marek Nelson's back-to-back 3-pointers with 1:58 to play. Taveion Hollingsworth's jumper made it a three-point game with 14 seconds to go, but Carter and Kirk each made a pair of free throws to seal it for Ohio.
Laster's go-ahead free throw put Ohio up for good, 7-6, and the Bobcats led 42-30 at halftime behind Gollon's 13 points.
Hollingsworth scored 19 points and Justin Johnson had 16 with 13 rebounds for Western Kentucky (6-3). Darius Thomspon, Dwight Coleby and Jake Ohmer scored 12 apiece.
Game Information
- Referees:
- Chris Beaver
- Terry Oglesby
- Lewis Garrison
2023-24 Conference USA Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Sam Houston | 13-3 | - | 21-12 |
Louisiana Tech | 12-4 | 1 | 22-10 |
Western Kentucky | 8-8 | 5 | 22-12 |
Liberty | 7-9 | 6 | 18-14 |
UTEP | 7-9 | 6 | 18-16 |
Middle Tennessee | 7-9 | 6 | 14-19 |
New Mexico State | 7-9 | 6 | 13-19 |
Jacksonville State | 6-10 | 7 | 14-18 |
Florida International | 5-11 | 8 | 11-22 |
2023-24 Mid-American Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Toledo | 14-4 | - | 20-12 |
Akron | 13-5 | 1 | 24-11 |
Ohio | 13-5 | 1 | 20-13 |
Central Michigan | 12-6 | 2 | 18-14 |
Bowling Green | 10-8 | 4 | 20-14 |
Miami (OH) | 9-9 | 5 | 15-17 |
Western Michigan | 9-9 | 5 | 12-20 |
Kent State | 8-10 | 6 | 17-17 |
Ball State | 7-11 | 7 | 15-16 |
Eastern Michigan | 6-12 | 8 | 13-18 |
Northern Illinois | 5-13 | 9 | 11-20 |
Buffalo | 2-16 | 12 | 4-27 |