BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Kentucky Wesleyan College men's basketball team continued its exhibition schedule on Saturday with a 91-76 loss to Western Kentucky University. The Hilltoppers' fast start forced the Panthers to play catch-up the entire game. Both Adam Goetz and Zach Hopewell finished in double figures. 

The Hilltoppers scored the first 10 points of the game and took a 20-5 lead through the first five minutes. The Panthers defense picked-up thereafter, but points were still hard to come by. Midway through the first half Wesleyan trailed 26-7. Five points from Nick Fort in the final minute sent the Panthers into the locker-room facing a 55-30 deficit. WKU converted at 52% from the field through the first 20 minutes as the Panthers were converting at just under 30%. 

The second half started with Goetz finding Amandas Urkis open on the perimeter for a three-point bucket. However, the Hilltoppers lead grew to 74-42 with 14 minutes left in the game.

Goetz dropped-in back-to-back three-points baskets followed by a jumper from Zavon Godwin and lay-up from Nick Fort. In total it was a 10-2 spurt by the Panthers that cut the WKU lead down to 24 points (76-52). 

The Panthers played the Hilltoppers even in the second half each scoring 41 points. Hopewell scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half. Goetz finished with a complete game of 19 points, five rebounds, and six assists against one turnover. Urkis added nine points in 12 minutes. 

The Panthers will have a week to prepare for the season opener against Kentucky State. Tip-off at the Sportscenter is scheduled for 3 pmCT. 

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