Bowling Green, Ky. — Western Kentucky University used a solid shooting performance and tough defense Friday to pull away from Kennesaw State and pick up a season-opening 96-61 basketball victory at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The Hilltoppers — who opened the year with a win for the fourth season in a row — shot 53.4 percent from the floor and 81.1 percent at the free-throw line, while on the other end of the floor limiting the Owls to just 31 percent shooting.

Courtney Lee led the charge with 26 points, five rebounds and three steals in 21 minutes, while both Mike Walker and Steffphon Pettigrew chipped in with 11 points and eight boards apiece. The totals were career highs for Walker, who made all five shots from the field in addition to handing out an assist and blocking a shot.

Boris Siakam added 15 points and five rebounds off the bench, going 8-of-8 at the foul line.

“If we have a building like that every night we’re going to be awfully hard to beat, our students brought a lot of energy,” said WKU head coach Darrin Horn. “I was really pleased with our effort and intensity, and the way we flew around and competed. We got off to a slow start, probably because we were anxious playing in front of a great crowd, but once we settled down I thought we did some good things.”

WKU had two significant runs in the first half, as the Owls were able to respond to the first but couldn’t answer the second.

The Hilltoppers took control of the contest following a technical foul on the bench that allowed the Owls’ Ronell Wooten to make five three throws just over six minutes before the break and draw KSU to within three points at 29-26. When Walker hit a layup after Japeth Aguilar found him open underneath the basket, it sparked a 13-3 spurt that left the Toppers up 42-29 three minutes and 56 seconds later. Both Lee and Pettigrew had dunks following Owl turnovers, with the latter completing a three-point play with just under two minutes to go in the half.

After missing their first six shots, the Toppers used a 14-2 run to build an eight-point advantage with 13:18 remaining. Lee scored five of his 12 first-half points during that stretch, while Siakam and Ty Rogers capped the stretch with a pair of three-pointers from the right wing 37 seconds apart.

Neither missed a shot in the opening 20 minutes, combining to collect 12 points.

KSU used 16-of-18 shooting from the foul line to climb back into the game, including four free throws from Jonathan Whipple to take the lead back, 17-16, at the midway point of the half. But, after a Rogers jumper at 9:45, the Owls trailed the rest of the way.

They had 11 turnovers in the first half while shooting just 30.4 percent from the field. KSU converted 31.4 percent from the floor after the break, but was just 5-of-16 at the charity stripe. And, the Owls’ 19 turnovers in the contest resulted in 33 WKU points.

Shuan Stegall paced KSU with 13 points and a game-best nine rebounds, with Keonte Keith and Whipple adding 10 points each. Wooten, the team’s leading scorer a year ago, did not score with the exception of those free throws, going 0-of-4 from the floor.

Lee came out after the intermission and posted 10 points in three minutes to help WKU extend to a 59-31 advantage before the first media time-out of the second half. KSU would never got closer than 23 points the rest of the way.

Lee was 11-of-15 from the field overall.

Aguilar finished with six points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Rogers recorded seven points. Tyrone Brazelton led all players with four assists against just one turnover, and his pressure helped force the Owls’ starting guards into eight miscues.

WKU returns to action Tuesday when it plays host to Kentucky Wesleyan at 7 p.m.