Duke Miles scored 28 points and Devin McGlockton added 22 to propel No. 24 Vanderbilt to an 83-78 victory over Western Kentucky in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Wednesday at Paradise Island, Bahamas.
The Commodores (6-0) nearly squandered a 15-point lead and recorded their lowest points this season thanks to poor shooting in the final minutes.
Vanderbilt will face the winner of the South Florida-VCU game, while the Hilltoppers will be the loser of that contest. Both games will be played on Thanksgiving Day.
Teagan Moore led Western Kentucky (4-1) with 24 points. Cam Haffner recorded season highs in 3-pointers (five) and points (18) while Armelo Boone added 16 points for the Hilltoppers.
Grant Newell, Western Kentucky’s second-leading scorer, sprained his ankle at the 8:04 mark of the first half. He didn’t come back.
Haffner’s 3-pointer with 1:25 left cut the lead to 78-71. Half a minute later, his steal and pass to Bryant Sellabangue brought the Hilltoppers closer.
Vanderbilt’s Frankie Collins missed a pair of free throws, and after Boone missed, McGlockton made one of two free throws before Collins took Moore’s pocket and then hit one of two foul shots.
Moore then buried two free throws before McGlockton hit one of two from the line.
A goalie call on McGlockton with 4.2 seconds left cut the lead to four and Boone also made a free throw after being fouled by Bing on that shot.
But Vanderbilt’s Miles made two free throws with 1.9 seconds left to ice the game.
Vanderbilt led 40-35 at the end of a fast and physical first half.
Western Kentucky managed to stay close for most of the half thanks to physical defense that held Vanderbilt to 42.9 percent (9 of 21) on 2-pointers and Moore’s 15 points on the other end.
Vanderbilt took its first lead of the game at 18-17 when Tyler Tanner hit an open 3 right away with 12:21 left in the first half, and wouldn’t trail again.
–Field level media
