Lady Topper freshman Lashay Davis fights for possession of the ball with Troy guard Sarah McAppion in the first half of Saturday's game. The Lady Toppers defeated the Troy Trojans 67-51 to win their 800th game. TANNER CURTIS/HERALD

Head Coach Mary Taylor Cowles has been a part of more than half of the Lady Toppers’ career victories as a player or a coach – 420, to be exact.

On Saturday afternoon, she found herself involved in a special one.

The Lady Toppers (15-8, 9-3 Sun Belt Conference) cruised to a 67-51 win over Troy in Diddle Arena, giving Western its 800th victory in program history.

“It’s just a big day for Lady Topper basketball,” Cowles said. “I’m just really happy for our program and our young ladies in uniform today to get a big conference win.”

Only eight other schools have won 800 games in women’s basketball – a feat that was lost on senior forward Dominique Duck.

“You put us among teams like Tennessee and Texas and Old Dominion, and that’s pretty big for WKU,” Duck said.

The players tossed commemorative “800” T-shirts into the stands following the games – an idea Cowles said she got from her husband, Gil Ray – and the Lady Toppers proudly wore their new garb into the postgame news conference.

“It feels great to get that 800th win,” junior guard Amy McNear said. “We’ve been talking about it at practice – just coming out with intensity and energy and staying focused to get the job done, and that’s what we did.”

Western jumped all over Troy (11-11, 4-9 SBC) from the outset, bursting out to a 19-4 lead at the 12:10 mark in the first half.

The Lady Toppers maintained that pace for the rest of the half, taking a 34-19 lead into the break.

Troy scored the opening basket of the second half, but that was about as optimistic as it got for the Trojans.

Western extended its advantage to 23 points on a layup by senior forward Arnika Brown with 9:28 left in the game, and Troy never came within 13 again.

“We had a great week of practice,” Duck said. “We just tried to play off that great win we got down at (Louisiana) Monroe and keep the intensity up and keep playing the same way we’ve been playing and keep that momentum.”

Senior guard Brittnie Davis, who torched Western for 29 points at Troy on Jan. 20, was held to just seven points on two-of-11 shooting on Saturday.

“I just think our young ladies understood what she was capable of doing after she put 29 on us in the first game, and we just knew for us to have success, we needed to contain her a little better this go-around,” Cowles said.

Duck led Western with 17 points, while senior guard Kenzie Rich added 11.

Sophomore forward LaTeira Owens had 10 points, while Brown pitched in eight points and eight rebounds.

McNear posted eight points, six rebounds and three assists. The three assists moved her into 10th place all-time on the Lady Toppers’ career assist list (337).

Junior forward Donette McNair paced Troy with a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds.

The Lady Toppers have won 10 of their last 12 games and will try to keep rolling when they host Arkansas State Wednesday.

According to Cowles, things are starting to click for Western at exactly the right time.

“At this time of year, with six games left in our regular season, we need to be building momentum and confidence and moving forward,” Cowles said. “To go on the road and perform the way we did Wednesday … and then to bring it right back home – that’s what we should be doing this time of year.”

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday in Diddle Arena.