WKY

MARYCA

Hollingsworth's free throws lift WKU over Gaels in NIT

AP
Mar 17, 2021

FRISCO, Texas (AP) Taveion Hollingsworth scored 21 points including two free throws with 3.3 seconds remaining to lift Western Kentucky Hilltoppers to a 69-67 win over Saint Mary's Gaels in a first-round NIT game Wednesday night.

Charles Bassey's dunk with 35 seconds left tied the game after Alex Ducas made a 3-pointer to give Saint Mary's its first lead since midway through the first half. Tommy Kuhse ran the clock down before having the ball tipped away by Josh Anderson and Hollingsworth was fouled in transition driving hard to the basket. A desperation 3-pointer by Matthias Tass missed at the buzzer.

Bassey, the Conference USA player of the year, scored 10 of his 19 points in the final eight minutes and he grabbed 11 rebounds for his 17th double-double this season. Anderson and Luke Frampton added 10 points each.

The Hilltoppers (21-7) took the lead in the first half during a 15-3 run sparked by 10 of Hollingsworth's 13 first-half points. Anderson hit a pair of 3-pointers for an 11-point lead before the Gaels cut it to 38-31 at the break.

Kuhse scored 17 points with 11 assists for his second double-double of the season to lead the two-seed Gaels (14-10). Tass added 13 points and Ducas 11.

The three-seed Hilltoppers, the C-USA regular-season champs who lost an overtime tournament championship game to North Texas, will take on the winner of Friday's Mississippi-Louisiana Tech game in a quarterfinal on March 25.

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For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
WKU
Hilltoppers
38
SMARY
Gaels
31

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Charles Bassey vs. Matthias Tass (Dayvion McKnight gains possession)
19:32		Jordan Rawls misses three point jump shot
19:30		Tommy Kuhse defensive rebound
19:06	+2	Dan Fotu makes two point layup (Tommy Kuhse assists)	0-2
18:50		Taveion Hollingsworth misses three point jump shot
18:48		Tommy Kuhse defensive rebound
18:40	+2	Tommy Kuhse makes two point driving layup	0-4
18:11	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point layup (Charles Bassey assists)	2-4
17:52	+2	Dan Fotu makes two point driving hook shot	2-6
17:33		Charles Bassey misses two point jump shot
17:31		Dayvion McKnight offensive rebound
17:31		Tommy Kuhse personal foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
17:27	+2	Taveion Hollingsworth makes two point floating jump shot	4-6
17:02		Dayvion McKnight blocks Tommy Kuhse's two point layup
17:00		Jordan Rawls defensive rebound
16:53	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point turnaround hook shot (Taveion Hollingsworth assists)	6-6
16:25	+2	Dan Fotu makes two point layup (Matthias Tass assists)	6-8
16:04		Josh Anderson misses two point jump shot
16:02		Judah Brown defensive rebound
15:52	+2	Matthias Tass makes two point dunk (Tommy Kuhse assists)	6-10
15:28		Taveion Hollingsworth misses two point jump shot
15:26		Dan Fotu defensive rebound
15:04	+3	Logan Johnson makes three point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	6-13
14:48		Jordan Rawls turnover (lost ball) (Matthias Tass steals)
14:36		Dan Fotu misses three point jump shot
14:34		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
14:28		Taveion Hollingsworth misses two point jump shot
14:26		Taveion Hollingsworth offensive rebound
14:22	+2	Taveion Hollingsworth makes two point putback layup	8-13
14:17		Gaels 30 second timeout
14:17		TV timeout
3:57		Logan Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Taveion Hollingsworth steals)
13:45		Charles Bassey misses two point layup
13:43		Mitchell Saxen defensive rebound
13:26		Dan Fotu misses three point jump shot
13:24		Taveion Hollingsworth defensive rebound
13:15		Logan Johnson blocks Taveion Hollingsworth's two point jump shot
13:13		Logan Johnson defensive rebound
13:12		Taveion Hollingsworth personal foul (Logan Johnson draws the foul)
12:50		Tommy Kuhse misses two point layup
12:48		Hilltoppers defensive rebound
12:37	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point dunk (Jordan Rawls assists)	10-13
12:20		Logan Johnson misses three point jump shot
12:18		Kevin Osawe defensive rebound
11:53		Alex Ducas shooting foul (Luke Frampton draws the foul)
11:53		TV timeout
11:53	+1	Luke Frampton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-13
11:53	+1	Luke Frampton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-13
11:42		Isaiah Cozart blocks Matthias Tass's two point layup
11:40		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
11:24		Jordan Rawls misses three point jump shot
11:22		Gaels defensive rebound
10:59		Alex Ducas misses two point layup
10:57		Matthias Tass offensive rebound
10:56	+2	Matthias Tass makes two point tip shot	12-15
10:35	+3	Luke Frampton makes three point jump shot (Dayvion McKnight assists)	15-15
10:08	+3	Kyle Bowen makes three point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	15-18
9:47	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point driving jump shot	17-18
9:31	+2	Matthias Tass makes two point layup	17-20
9:14		Dayvion McKnight misses two point jump shot
9:12		Isaiah Cozart offensive rebound
9:12		Kyle Bowen personal foul (Isaiah Cozart draws the foul)
9:09		Logan Johnson shooting foul (Taveion Hollingsworth draws the foul)
9:09	+1	Taveion Hollingsworth makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-20
9:09	+1	Taveion Hollingsworth makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-20
8:51		Tommy Kuhse turnover (bad pass)
8:40		Matthias Tass blocks Charles Bassey's two point layup
8:38		Charles Bassey offensive rebound
8:36	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point putback dunk	21-20
8:10		Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot
8:08		Jordan Rawls defensive rebound
7:57		Logan Johnson shooting foul (Charles Bassey draws the foul)
7:57		TV timeout
7:57	+1	Charles Bassey makes regular free throw 1 of 2	22-20
7:57	+1	Charles Bassey makes regular free throw 2 of 2	23-20
7:29		Charles Bassey blocks Matthias Tass's two point layup
7:27		Gaels offensive rebound
7:26		Gaels turnover (shot clock violation)
7:08	+2	Taveion Hollingsworth makes two point floating jump shot	25-20
6:43		Josh Anderson blocks Logan Johnson's two point layup
6:41		Gaels offensive rebound
6:40		Dan Fotu misses two point jump shot
6:38		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
6:28		Jordan Rawls misses three point jump shot
6:26		Gaels defensive rebound
6:26		Charles Bassey personal foul (Matthias Tass draws the foul)
6:16	+3	Tommy Kuhse makes three point jump shot (Alex Ducas assists)	25-23
5:58	+2	Josh Anderson makes two point driving layup (Jordan Rawls assists)	27-23
5:29		Judah Brown misses three point jump shot
5:27		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
5:21	+3	Taveion Hollingsworth makes three point jump shot (Jordan Rawls assists)	30-23
4:57		Alex Ducas turnover (bad pass) (Luke Frampton steals)
4:51	+2	Taveion Hollingsworth makes two point finger roll layup (Luke Frampton assists)	32-23
4:49		Gaels 30 second timeout
4:31		Judah Brown misses three point jump shot
4:29		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
4:03		Jordan Rawls misses two point driving layup
4:01		Matthias Tass defensive rebound
3:50		Dayvion McKnight personal foul (Tommy Kuhse draws the foul)
3:50		TV timeout
3:35		Judah Brown misses three point jump shot
3:33		Taveion Hollingsworth defensive rebound
3:09		Taveion Hollingsworth misses two point driving layup
3:07		Matthias Tass defensive rebound
3:00		Charles Bassey shooting foul (Judah Brown draws the foul)
3:00	+1	Judah Brown makes regular free throw 1 of 2	32-24
3:00	+1	Judah Brown makes regular free throw 2 of 2	32-25
2:38		Jordan Rawls misses two point layup
2:36		Gaels defensive rebound
2:18		Taveion Hollingsworth blocks Judah Brown's two point jump shot
2:16		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
2:04	+3	Josh Anderson makes three point jump shot (Taveion Hollingsworth assists)	35-25
1:42	+2	Dan Fotu makes two point layup (Tommy Kuhse assists)	35-27
1:30	+3	Josh Anderson makes three point jump shot (Dayvion McKnight assists)	38-27
1:12		Matthias Tass turnover (lost ball) (Josh Anderson steals)
1:07		Taveion Hollingsworth offensive foul (Logan Johnson draws the foul)
1:07		Taveion Hollingsworth turnover
0:54	+2	Logan Johnson makes two point turnaround jump shot	38-29
0:32		Jordan Rawls misses two point pullup jump shot
0:30		Alex Ducas defensive rebound
0:00	+2	Tommy Kuhse makes two point jump shot (Logan Johnson assists)	38-31
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
WKU
Hilltoppers
31
SMARY
Gaels
36

Time		Play	Score
19:47	+2	Tommy Kuhse makes two point layup	38-33
19:19		Charles Bassey misses two point hook shot
19:17		Logan Johnson defensive rebound
19:01		Dan Fotu misses three point jump shot
18:59		Jordan Rawls defensive rebound
18:42	+2	Dayvion McKnight makes two point pullup jump shot	40-33
18:22		Judah Brown misses three point jump shot
18:20		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
18:13	+2	Taveion Hollingsworth makes two point floating jump shot (Dayvion McKnight assists)	42-33
17:49		Dan Fotu misses two point floating jump shot
17:47		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
17:41		Jordan Rawls misses three point jump shot
17:39		Matthias Tass defensive rebound
17:21		Dan Fotu turnover (bad pass)
17:00		Taveion Hollingsworth misses two point layup
16:58		Charles Bassey offensive rebound
16:57		Matthias Tass shooting foul (Charles Bassey draws the foul)
16:57	+1	Charles Bassey makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-33
16:57		Charles Bassey misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:57		Kyle Bowen defensive rebound
16:41		Matthias Tass turnover (traveling)
16:23		Charles Bassey turnover (lost ball) (Matthias Tass steals)
16:10		Taveion Hollingsworth shooting foul (Tommy Kuhse draws the foul)
16:10	+1	Tommy Kuhse makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-34
16:10	+1	Tommy Kuhse makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-35
16:00		Dayvion McKnight turnover (bad pass) (Tommy Kuhse steals)
15:54		Josh Anderson shooting foul (Logan Johnson draws the foul)
15:54		TV timeout
15:54	+1	Logan Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-36
15:54	+1	Logan Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-37
15:37		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
15:37		TV timeout
15:25		Dayvion McKnight misses two point jump shot
15:23		Alex Ducas defensive rebound
15:13		Tommy Kuhse misses two point layup
15:11		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
15:05	+2	Jordan Rawls makes two point driving layup (Dayvion McKnight assists)	45-37
14:41	+3	Alex Ducas makes three point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	45-40
14:20		Charles Bassey misses two point hook shot
14:18		Logan Johnson defensive rebound
14:11		Tommy Kuhse turnover (bad pass) (Taveion Hollingsworth steals)
14:03		Logan Johnson shooting foul (Taveion Hollingsworth draws the foul)
14:03	+1	Taveion Hollingsworth makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-40
14:03	+1	Taveion Hollingsworth makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-40
13:43		Isaiah Cozart shooting foul (Logan Johnson draws the foul)
13:43	+1	Logan Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-41
13:43	+1	Logan Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-42
13:29	+3	Luke Frampton makes three point jump shot (Jordan Rawls assists)	50-42
13:02	+2	Mitchell Saxen makes two point layup (Logan Johnson assists)	50-44
12:39	+2	Josh Anderson makes two point turnaround hook shot	52-44
12:23		Kyle Bowen turnover (lost ball) (Dayvion McKnight steals)
12:16		Alex Ducas shooting foul (Luke Frampton draws the foul)
12:16	+1	Luke Frampton makes regular free throw 1 of 3	53-44
12:16		Luke Frampton misses regular free throw 2 of 3
12:16	+1	Luke Frampton makes regular free throw 3 of 3	54-44
11:55		Gaels 30 second timeout
11:55		TV timeout
11:47		Alex Ducas misses three point jump shot
11:45		Dayvion McKnight defensive rebound
11:26		Logan Johnson shooting foul (Dayvion McKnight draws the foul)
11:26		Dayvion McKnight misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:26	+1	Dayvion McKnight makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-44
11:12		Dayvion McKnight shooting foul (Tommy Kuhse draws the foul)
11:12	+1	Tommy Kuhse makes regular free throw 1 of 2	55-45
11:12	+1	Tommy Kuhse makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-46
10:55		Charles Bassey misses two point layup
10:53		Jabe Mullins defensive rebound
10:37	+2	Matthias Tass makes two point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	55-48
10:12		Taveion Hollingsworth misses two point jump shot
10:10		Dan Fotu defensive rebound
10:00	+2	Matthias Tass makes two point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	55-50
9:30		Dayvion McKnight misses two point layup
9:28		Dan Fotu defensive rebound
9:28		Charles Bassey personal foul (Dan Fotu draws the foul)
9:10		Tommy Kuhse misses three point jump shot
9:08		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
9:00	+2	Taveion Hollingsworth makes two point finger roll layup (Jordan Rawls assists)	57-50
8:34	+2	Tommy Kuhse makes two point driving layup	57-52
8:12	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point alley-oop dunk (Jordan Rawls assists)	59-52
7:50		Tommy Kuhse misses three point jump shot
7:48		Jordan Rawls defensive rebound
7:42	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point alley-oop dunk (Jordan Rawls assists)	61-52
7:30	+2	Tommy Kuhse makes two point driving layup (Matthias Tass assists)	61-54
7:11		Jordan Rawls misses two point jump shot
7:09		Matthias Tass defensive rebound
6:42	+3	Matthias Tass makes three point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	61-57
6:21	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point layup (Luke Frampton assists)	63-57
6:21		Matthias Tass shooting foul (Charles Bassey draws the foul)
6:21		TV timeout
6:21		Charles Bassey misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:21		Matthias Tass defensive rebound
6:10	+3	Alex Ducas makes three point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	63-60
5:42		Kevin Osawe misses two point jump shot
5:40		Charles Bassey offensive rebound
5:25		Tommy Kuhse personal foul (Taveion Hollingsworth draws the foul)
5:15		Jordan Rawls misses two point layup
5:13		Charles Bassey offensive rebound
5:10	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point putback layup	65-60
4:39		Kevin Osawe shooting foul (Kyle Bowen draws the foul)
4:39	+1	Kyle Bowen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	65-61
4:39	+1	Kyle Bowen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	65-62
4:17		Charles Bassey misses two point hook shot
4:15		Kyle Bowen defensive rebound
4:03		Tommy Kuhse misses three point jump shot
4:01		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
3:34		Taveion Hollingsworth misses two point driving layup
3:32		Tommy Kuhse defensive rebound
3:04	+2	Alex Ducas makes two point floating jump shot	65-64
2:59		TV timeout
2:49		Kyle Bowen personal foul (Josh Anderson draws the foul)
2:49		Josh Anderson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:49		Dan Fotu defensive rebound
2:24		Charles Bassey blocks Matthias Tass's two point hook shot
2:22		Jordan Rawls defensive rebound
2:08		Charles Bassey misses two point jump shot
2:06		Matthias Tass defensive rebound
2:06		Charles Bassey personal foul (Matthias Tass draws the foul)
2:06		Matthias Tass misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:06		Gaels offensive rebound
1:50		Alex Ducas misses two point layup
1:48		Alex Ducas offensive rebound
1:31		Josh Anderson personal foul (Logan Johnson draws the foul)
1:31		Logan Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
1:31		Josh Anderson defensive rebound
1:22		Hilltoppers 60 second timeout
1:07		Jordan Rawls misses two point floating jump shot
1:05		Matthias Tass defensive rebound
0:47	+3	Alex Ducas makes three point jump shot (Tommy Kuhse assists)	65-67
0:36	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point dunk (Josh Anderson assists)	67-67
0:10		Tommy Kuhse turnover (lost ball) (Josh Anderson steals)
0:03		Logan Johnson shooting foul (Taveion Hollingsworth draws the foul)
0:03	+1	Taveion Hollingsworth makes regular free throw 1 of 2	68-67
0:03	+1	Taveion Hollingsworth makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-67
0:03		Gaels 60 second timeout
0:03		Gaels 60 second timeout
0:01		Matthias Tass misses three point jump shot
0:00		Hilltoppers defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Hilltoppers defensive rebound