TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State fell to Western Kentucky 81-65 in front of 4,412 fans inside E.A. Diddle Arena. The Sycamores fell to 5-6 on the year while WKU improved to 7-4.

Cold shooting plagued the Sycamores in the opening half as they were limited to a 12-of-33 mark from the field (36.4 percent). ISU did warm in the second half hitting just under a 50 percent clip and drained seven 3-pointers. Jordan Barnes scored 12 points, seeing his streak of four games with at least 20 points scored come to and end. Barnes is the first Sycamore since Greg Thomas in 1993 to post at least four games in a row with over 20 points scored. Qiydar Davis added 12 while Brenton Scott led the way with 16 points, as he connected on four 3-pointers.

Rebounding was even in the game at 33. Turnovers cost the Sycamores as they had 20 miscues which resulted in 21 points for WKU.

Indiana State enjoyed a large fan contingent at the game, thanks to the town of Celina, Tenn., who showed up in large numbers to support hometown hero Tyreke Key. Key's Clay County High School sits just 78 miles from E.A. Diddle Arena.

Western Kentucky scored the first seven points of the game before Jordan Barnes got the Sycamores on the board with a 3-pointer at the 18:13 mark. The Toppers would go on to score the game's next six before Scott scored on a driving lay-up to draw within 13-5. A third early run of at least six points by the Hilltoppers was stopped with 13:08 on the clock on a Hughes jumper and then he drilled a 3-pointer on the next possession to whittle the WKU lead down to 19-10. Kessinger ended a nearly three minute scoring drought with a putback basket at the 9:18 mark of the first half to cut the WKU advantage to 23-12. Scott came back with a trifecta ont he next possession and ISU trimmed the deficit further at 23-15. 

The fans from Tennessee erupted with 6:08 on the clock with a baseline drive and dunk by Key which got ISU within 29-19 and forced WKU to burn their first half timeout. Barnes found Qiydar Davis moving to the basket with 2:35 to go and his dunk made it 37-25. Following a 6-0 WKU spurt, Barnes hit a 3-pointer and ISU grabbed a defensive stop but the Hilltoppers still led 43-28 at the break. Barnes and Davis each scored six points to pace the Sycamores at the break.

The Hilltoppers scored seven of the first eight points to open the second half before Murphy and Key scored on consecutive possessions while ISU found some success on the defensive end by switching to a zone defense. ISU trailed 48-33 as the clock ticked under the 16 minute mark. A conventional 3-point play by Davis at the 14:16 mark trimmed the WKU advantage down to 51-38. Davis' play capped a 13-3 spurt for the Sycamores after switching defenses. 

A pair of Brandon Murphy charity tosses and Barnes' third 3-pointer of the game cut the WKU lead down to 57-45 with 7:30 left in regulation. Barnes would connect on his fourth trey as the clock ticked under six minutes to make it 61-48 in favor of the Tops. 

WKU was led by Taveion Hollingsworth who had 19 points. The Hilltoppers put five different scorers in double figures scoring.

Indiana State wraps up non-conference play on Friday, December 22 when the Sycamores host Elon at 6 pm (ET) inside Hulman Center.