WKU shoots 50 percent, beats Tennessee State 88-74

Dec 2, 2018, 02:51 am

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Jared Savage scored 20 points to lead four in double figures and Western Kentucky beat Tennessee State 88-74 on Saturday night.

Savage was just 3 of 11 from the floor but made a 3-pointer and all 13 shots from the free-throw line. Taveion Hollingsworth added 19 points, Desean Murray had 17 and Josh Anderson 15 for the Hilltoppers, who shot 50 percent from the field.

Western Kentucky (4-3) faced Tennessee State (2-5) for the first time since 2011, and is 9-0 in the series.

Kamar McKnight scored 30 points to lead Tennessee State. Donte Fitzpatrick-Dorsey had 25 points and Stokley Chaffee Jr. added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The game was tied at halftime, 35-35. Western Kentucky opened the second half on a 12-0 run and led the rest of the way. A 12-5 surge pulled the Tigers to 73-68 but they didn't get closer.

It was the 600th win for the Hilltoppers inside E.A. Diddle Arena, which opened in 1963.