Freshman guard Courtney Clifton didn’t dazzle with her three-point shot in the Lady Toppers’ two exhibition games.

But Head Coach Mary Taylor Cowles said it would only be a matter of time until she did.

“If you see her shoot the three, you obviously see what a beautiful shot and form that she has,” Cowles said.

It didn’t take long for Clifton to show off her shooting prowess, netting six three-pointers in Western’s 75-54 win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday night.

Clifton said that she had been struggling with her shot in practice, but encouraging words from Cowles helped her find a groove.

“Coach Cowles came up to me and she was like, ‘Just focus on your form and use your legs,’” Clifton said. “My teammates found me open shots. I wasn’t open.”

Cowles said her biggest message for Clifton was to let the game come to her.

“She and I talked about just taking a deep breath and relaxing and playing and understanding that this is a game she has been very successful at,” Cowles said.

Clifton was a standout at Lexington Christian Academy, leading her team to a state title in Diddle Arena as a sophomore in 2007. She averaged 21.5 points per game and shot 43.4 percent from three-point range during her senior season.