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Bayless hits game-winning layup, scores 27 points to lead Western Kentucky over Louisiana Tech 64-63

AP
Feb 22, 2025

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) Braxton Bayless led Western Kentucky with 27 points, including the game-winning layup, and the Hilltoppers took down Louisiana Tech 64-63 on Saturday night.

Bayless took the inbound pass, dribbled the court and crossed through two defenders to end it.

Bayless had five rebounds for the Hilltoppers (15-12, 6-8 Conference USA). Don McHenry shot 6 for 12, including 1 for 4 from beyond the arc to add 14 points. Tyrone Marshall Jr. had 13 points and shot 5 for 13, including 1 for 4 from beyond the arc.

Amaree Abram led the way for the Bulldogs (18-10, 7-8) with 21 points. Louisiana Tech also got 14 points and two steals from AJ Bates. Daniel Batcho had 10 points and two blocks.

Bayless scored nine points in the first half for Western Kentucky, who led 24-19 at the break. Bayless scored 18 second-half points for Western Kentucky to help set up their game-winning shot.

NEXT UP

Up next for Western Kentucky is a matchup Thursday with UTEP on the road. Louisiana Tech visits Sam Houston on Saturday.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

1st Half
LT
Bulldogs
19
WKU
Hilltoppers
24

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Bulldogs gains possession)
19:13		Jump ball. Don McHenry vs. Al Green (Don McHenry gains possession)
19:47		Sean Newman Jr. turnover
19:29	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point layup	0-2
19:13		Jump ball. Don McHenry vs. Al Green (Don McHenry gains possession)
19:13		Al Green turnover (Don McHenry steals)
18:56		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses two point layup
18:54		Al Green defensive rebound
18:50		Kaden Cooper misses three point jump shot
18:48		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
18:38		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:36		Daniel Batcho defensive rebound
18:17		Al Green misses three point jump shot
18:15		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
17:54		Kaden Cooper blocks Braxton Bayless's two point layup
17:52		Hilltoppers offensive rebound
17:43		Jalen Jackson misses two point jump shot
17:43		Hilltoppers offensive rebound
17:41		Hilltoppers turnover (shot clock violation)
17:29		Amaree Abram turnover (Tyrone Marshall Jr. steals)
17:24		Tyrone Marshall Jr. turnover (Amaree Abram steals)
17:06		Amaree Abram misses two point jump shot
17:04		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
16:59	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point layup (Don McHenry assists)	0-4
16:38		Kaden Cooper turnover
16:28		Jalen Jackson misses two point layup
16:26		Daniel Batcho defensive rebound
16:16		Devin Ree turnover (traveling)
16:06		Jack Edelen misses three point jump shot
16:04		Al Green defensive rebound
15:48		Don McHenry shooting foul
15:48		TV timeout
15:48		Amaree Abram misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:48	+1	Amaree Abram makes regular free throw 2 of 2	1-4
15:30		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:28		Al Green defensive rebound
15:17		Daniel Batcho turnover (Leeroy Odiahi steals)
15:01		Jack Edelen misses three point jump shot
14:59		Daniel Batcho defensive rebound
14:46		Daniel Batcho misses two point jump shot
14:44		Don McHenry defensive rebound
14:18	+2	Leeroy Odiahi makes two point jump shot (Don McHenry assists)	1-6
13:48		Devin Ree misses three point jump shot
13:46		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
13:35		Jack Edelen misses three point jump shot
13:33		Daniel Batcho defensive rebound
13:28	+2	Devin Ree makes two point layup (Sean Newman Jr. assists)	3-6
13:14		Don McHenry misses two point jump shot
13:12		Jordan Crawford defensive rebound
13:08		Amaree Abram misses three point jump shot
13:06		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
13:01		Braxton Bayless misses two point jump shot
12:59		Jordan Crawford defensive rebound
12:37	+3	Sean Newman Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jordan Crawford assists)	6-6
12:07		Tyrone Marshall Jr. turnover
11:51		Sean Elkinton misses two point layup
11:49		Blaise Keita defensive rebound
11:42		Don McHenry misses three point jump shot
11:40		Amaree Abram defensive rebound
11:18	+3	Amaree Abram makes three point jump shot (Sean Newman Jr. assists)	9-6
10:49	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point jump shot	9-8
10:31		Sean Newman Jr. turnover (Don McHenry steals)
10:20		Amaree Abram blocks Don McHenry's three point jump shot
10:18		Jordan Crawford defensive rebound
10:07		Jalen Jackson blocks Sean Newman Jr.'s two point layup
10:05		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
10:00	+2	Don McHenry makes two point layup	9-10
9:50		Jaylen Dorsey shooting foul (Amaree Abram draws the foul)
9:50		TV timeout
9:50	+1	Amaree Abram makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-10
9:50	+1	Amaree Abram makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-10
9:38		Tyrone Marshall Jr. turnover (AJ Bates steals)
9:19		Jordan Crawford turnover
9:17	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point jump shot (Jalen Jackson assists)	11-12
8:54		Leeroy Odiahi shooting foul (Sean Elkinton draws the foul)
8:54	+1	Sean Elkinton makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-12
8:54	+1	Sean Elkinton makes regular free throw 2 of 2	13-12
8:41		Amaree Abram personal foul
8:30		Amaree Abram personal foul
8:15		Braxton Bayless turnover (traveling)
7:53		Sean Elkinton misses two point jump shot
7:51		Don McHenry defensive rebound
7:29	+2	Don McHenry makes two point jump shot	13-14
7:10		Kaden Cooper turnover (Blaise Keita steals)
7:05		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses two point layup
7:04		Hilltoppers offensive rebound
7:04		TV timeout
7:04		Jalen Jackson turnover
6:53		AJ Bates misses two point jump shot
6:51		AJ Bates offensive rebound
6:47		AJ Bates misses three point jump shot
6:45		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
6:25		Don McHenry misses two point jump shot
6:23		Blaise Keita offensive rebound
6:20		Blaise Keita misses two point layup
6:18		AJ Bates defensive rebound
6:16		Al Green misses three point jump shot
6:14		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
5:56	+3	Braxton Bayless makes three point jump shot (Tyrone Marshall Jr. assists)	13-17
5:34	+2	Sean Elkinton makes two point layup	15-17
5:11		Blaise Keita misses two point jump shot
5:09		Sean Elkinton defensive rebound
5:01		Sean Elkinton misses three point jump shot
4:59		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
4:57		Jordan Crawford personal foul
4:40		Al Green personal foul
4:29	+3	Don McHenry makes three point jump shot (Leeroy Odiahi assists)	15-20
4:01		Jordan Crawford misses three point jump shot
3:59		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
3:51		Leeroy Odiahi offensive foul
3:51		Leeroy Odiahi turnover (offensive foul)
3:51		TV timeout
3:37		Jordan Crawford misses three point jump shot
3:35		Al Green offensive rebound
3:29		Leeroy Odiahi blocks Al Green's two point layup
3:27		Hilltoppers defensive rebound
3:08		Leeroy Odiahi turnover (AJ Bates steals)
3:00		Jump ball. (Bulldogs gains possession)
2:46	+2	AJ Bates makes two point jump shot	17-20
2:25		Sean Newman Jr. personal foul
2:21	+2	Don McHenry makes two point layup	17-22
1:56		Daniel Batcho misses two point dunk
1:55		Blaise Keita defensive rebound
1:55		Daniel Batcho personal foul
1:46		Jalen Jackson misses three point jump shot
1:44		Jordan Crawford defensive rebound
1:15		AJ Bates misses three point jump shot
1:13		Jordan Crawford offensive rebound
1:10		Braxton Bayless shooting foul (Jordan Crawford draws the foul)
1:10	+1	Jordan Crawford makes regular free throw 1 of 2	18-22
1:10	+1	Jordan Crawford makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-22
0:51		Braxton Bayless misses three point jump shot
0:49		Jordan Crawford defensive rebound
0:38		Sean Elkinton turnover (Braxton Bayless steals)
0:34		Sean Newman Jr. shooting foul (Tyrone Marshall Jr. draws the foul)
0:34	+1	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	19-23
0:34	+1	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-24
0:31		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:08		Jordan Crawford misses three point jump shot
0:06		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
0:03		Tyrone Marshall Jr. turnover (Sean Elkinton steals)
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
LT
Bulldogs
44
WKU
Hilltoppers
40

Time		Play	Score
19:42	+2	Jalen Jackson makes two point jump shot	19-26
19:16	+2	Amaree Abram makes two point layup	21-26
19:02		Braxton Bayless misses two point layup
19:00		Amaree Abram defensive rebound
18:47	+3	Sean Newman Jr. makes three point jump shot (Daniel Batcho assists)	24-26
18:21	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup	24-28
17:51		Kaden Cooper turnover
17:31	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point jump shot	24-30
17:18		Sean Newman Jr. misses two point layup
17:16		Blaise Keita defensive rebound
16:56		Tyrone Marshall Jr. turnover (Kaden Cooper steals)
16:46		Don McHenry personal foul
16:40	+2	Amaree Abram makes two point layup (Sean Newman Jr. assists)	26-30
16:16	+2	Blaise Keita makes two point layup (Braxton Bayless assists)	26-32
15:58	+3	Amaree Abram makes three point jump shot (Kaden Cooper assists)	29-32
15:35		Daniel Batcho blocks Braxton Bayless's two point jump shot
15:35		Hilltoppers offensive rebound
15:35		TV timeout
15:28	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup	29-34
15:12	+2	Daniel Batcho makes two point layup (Sean Newman Jr. assists)	31-34
15:12		Tyrone Marshall Jr. shooting foul (Daniel Batcho draws the foul)
15:12	+1	Daniel Batcho makes regular free throw 1 of 1	32-34
14:53		Braxton Bayless turnover (Sean Newman Jr. steals)
14:49	+2	Kaden Cooper makes two point dunk (Sean Newman Jr. assists)	34-34
14:27	+3	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes three point jump shot	34-37
14:01		Kaden Cooper misses three point jump shot
13:59		Jalen Jackson defensive rebound
13:53		Amaree Abram personal foul
13:34		AJ Bates personal foul
13:24		Leeroy Odiahi misses two point layup
13:22		Daniel Batcho defensive rebound
12:57		Braxton Bayless shooting foul (Sean Newman Jr. draws the foul)
12:57	+1	Sean Newman Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-37
12:57	+1	Sean Newman Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-37
12:37		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses two point jump shot
12:35		Kaden Cooper defensive rebound
12:27		Amaree Abram misses three point jump shot
12:25		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
12:20		Braxton Bayless misses two point layup
12:18		AJ Bates defensive rebound
12:01		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
12:01		TV timeout
11:58		Jalen Jackson personal foul
11:58		TV timeout
11:40		Leeroy Odiahi shooting foul (AJ Bates draws the foul)
11:40	+1	AJ Bates makes regular free throw 1 of 2	37-37
11:40	+1	AJ Bates makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-37
11:22		Amaree Abram personal foul
11:20		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses two point jump shot
11:18		Sean Newman Jr. defensive rebound
10:51	+3	AJ Bates makes three point jump shot (Jordan Crawford assists)	41-37
10:33		Braxton Bayless misses two point layup
10:31		Kaden Cooper defensive rebound
10:10		Sean Newman Jr. turnover (Braxton Bayless steals)
10:07	+2	Don McHenry makes two point layup (Braxton Bayless assists)	41-39
10:06		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
9:47		Leeroy Odiahi shooting foul (AJ Bates draws the foul)
9:47	+1	AJ Bates makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-39
9:47	+1	AJ Bates makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-39
9:22	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point jump shot (Don McHenry assists)	43-41
8:54		Jordan Crawford misses two point layup
8:52		Tyrone Marshall Jr. defensive rebound
8:40	+3	Braxton Bayless makes three point jump shot (Jalen Jackson assists)	43-44
8:11		Braxton Bayless shooting foul (AJ Bates draws the foul)
8:11	+1	AJ Bates makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-44
8:11	+1	AJ Bates makes regular free throw 2 of 2	45-44
7:49		Daniel Batcho personal foul
7:49		TV timeout
7:48		Daniel Batcho blocks Braxton Bayless's two point layup
7:46		Kaden Cooper defensive rebound
7:18		Jalen Jackson shooting foul (Daniel Batcho draws the foul)
7:18		Daniel Batcho misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:18	+1	Daniel Batcho makes regular free throw 2 of 2	46-44
7:07		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses three point jump shot
7:05		Jordan Crawford defensive rebound
6:38		Jordan Crawford offensive foul
6:38		Jordan Crawford turnover (offensive foul)
6:18		Don McHenry misses two point jump shot
6:16		Hilltoppers offensive rebound
6:16	+2	Tyrone Marshall Jr. makes two point layup (Braxton Bayless assists)	46-46
5:43		Sean Newman Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:41		Kaden Cooper offensive rebound
5:36		Kaden Cooper misses two point layup
5:34		Braxton Bayless defensive rebound
5:33		Jordan Crawford personal foul
5:31	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point jump shot (Jalen Jackson assists)	46-48
5:14	+2	Daniel Batcho makes two point dunk (Jordan Crawford assists)	48-48
4:55	+3	Braxton Bayless makes three point jump shot (Jalen Jackson assists)	48-51
4:38		AJ Bates turnover (Jaylen Dorsey steals)
4:21	+2	Leeroy Odiahi makes two point dunk (Braxton Bayless assists)	48-53
3:51	+3	Amaree Abram makes three point jump shot (Jordan Crawford assists)	51-53
3:48		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
3:48		TV timeout
3:35		Daniel Batcho shooting foul (Jalen Jackson draws the foul)
3:35	+1	Jalen Jackson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-54
3:35	+1	Jalen Jackson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-55
3:22		Blaise Keita blocks Daniel Batcho's two point layup
3:20		Don McHenry defensive rebound
2:50		Hilltoppers turnover (shot clock violation)
2:37		AJ Bates misses two point layup
2:35		Kaden Cooper offensive rebound
2:22		Don McHenry personal foul (Amaree Abram draws the foul)
2:22	+1	Amaree Abram makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-55
2:22	+1	Amaree Abram makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-55
2:08	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point jump shot	53-57
1:56		Blaise Keita shooting foul (Daniel Batcho draws the foul)
1:56	+1	Daniel Batcho makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-57
1:56	+1	Daniel Batcho makes regular free throw 2 of 2	55-57
1:36		Braxton Bayless turnover (Kaden Cooper steals)
1:29	+3	AJ Bates makes three point jump shot (Amaree Abram assists)	58-57
1:06		Don McHenry misses three point jump shot
1:04		Tyrone Marshall Jr. offensive rebound
0:57		Tyrone Marshall Jr. misses two point layup
0:57		Blaise Keita offensive rebound
0:57	+2	Don McHenry makes two point layup	58-59
0:57		Kaden Cooper shooting foul (Don McHenry draws the foul)
0:57	+1	Don McHenry makes regular free throw 1 of 1	58-60
0:37	+3	Amaree Abram makes three point jump shot	61-60
0:31		Hilltoppers 60 second timeout
0:28		Daniel Batcho shooting foul (Braxton Bayless draws the foul)
0:28	+1	Braxton Bayless makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-61
0:28	+1	Braxton Bayless makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-62
0:26		Bulldogs 60 second timeout
0:07		Blaise Keita shooting foul (Daniel Batcho draws the foul)
0:07	+1	Daniel Batcho makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-62
0:07		Hilltoppers 30 second timeout
0:07	+1	Daniel Batcho makes regular free throw 2 of 2	63-62
0:07	+2	Braxton Bayless makes two point layup	63-64
0:00		End of period

+ 2

Braxton Bayless makes two point layup