Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball

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This article is about men's basketball team. For women's basketball team, see WKU Lady Toppers basketball.
WKU Hilltoppers
2015–16 WKU Hilltoppers basketball team
150px
University Western Kentucky University
Conference C-USA
East Division
Location Bowling Green, KY
Head coach Ray Harper (4th year)
Arena E. A. Diddle Arena
(Capacity: 7,500)
Nickname Hilltoppers
Colors Red and White
         
Uniforms
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Home jersey
Team colours
Team colours
Home
Kit body thinwhitesides.png
Away jersey
Kit shorts whitesides.png
Team colours
Away
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1971[A 1]
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
1940, 1971[A 1]
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen
1960, 1962, 1966, 1971,[A 1] 1978, 1993, 2008
NCAA Tournament Round of 32
1976, 1978, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1995, 2008, 2009
NCAA Tournament appearances
1940, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971,[A 1] 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013
Conference tournament champions
1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013
Conference regular season champions
1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982 ,1987, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009
Conference division season champions
Sun Belt East: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008[1]

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Basketball team is the men's basketball team that represents Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hilltoppers currently compete in Conference USA. The team's most recent appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament was in 2013. Ray Harper became the interim coach of the Hilltoppers on January 6, 2012 after Ken McDonald was fired,[2] with Harper being promoted to head coach on February 19, 2012.[3]

The men's basketball program has the 16th most victories in the history of the NCAA[4] and has attained the 8th best winning percentage in NCAA history.[4] The school made an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1971, which was later vacated, and has made three NIT Final Four appearances. The program has won numerous Ohio Valley Conference championships and was very competitive in its previous conference, the Sun Belt Conference, regularly finishing near the top of the conference and competing for the conference championship. 2014-15 season is their first season as members of Conference USA. Street & Smith's publication "100 Greatest Programs", ranked WKU #31.

WKU has had 30 All Americans and 56 Hilltoppers have played professionally following their collegiate careers.

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
J.L. Arthur (Independent) (1914–1916)
1914-1915 Western Kentucky State 5-1
1915-1916 Western Kentucky State 2-1
J.L.Arthur: 7-2
No Team (World War I) (1916–1921)
L.T. Smith (Independent) (1921–1922)
1921-1922 Western Kentucky State 3-1
L.T.Smith: 3-1
E. A. Diddle (SIAA and KIAC) (1922–1948)
1922–1923 Western Kentucky State 12–2
1923–1924 Western Kentucky State 9–9
1924–1925 Western Kentucky State 8–6
1925–1926 Western Kentucky State 10–4
1926–1927 Western Kentucky State 12–7
1927–1928 Western Kentucky State 10–7
1928–1929 Western Kentucky State 8–10
1929–1930 Western Kentucky State 4–12
1930–1931 Western Kentucky State 11–3
1931–1932 Western Kentucky State 15–8 1st KIAC
1932–1933 Western Kentucky State 16–6 1st KIAC
1933–1934 Western Kentucky State 28–8 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1934–1935 Western Kentucky State 24–3 1st KIAC
1935–1936 Western Kentucky State 26–4 1st KIAC National Olympic Trials
1936–1937 Western Kentucky State 21–2 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1937–1938 Western Kentucky State 30–3 1st KIAC 1st SIAA NAIA Forfeit
1938–1939 Western Kentucky State 22–3 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1939–1940 Western Kentucky State 24–6 1st KIAC 1st SIAA NCAA Elite 8
1940–1941 Western Kentucky State 22–4 1st SIAA
1941–1942 Western Kentucky State 29–5 1st KIAC 1st SIAA NIT Runner Up
1942–1943 Western Kentucky State 24–3 1st KIAC NIT Quarterfinals
1943–1944 Western Kentucky State 13–9
1944–1945 Western Kentucky State 17–10
1945–1946 Western Kentucky State 15–19
1946–1947 Western Kentucky State 25–4 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1947–1948 Western Kentucky State 28–2 1st KIAC NIT 3rd place


1948–1949 Western Kentucky State 25–4 8–2 1st NIT Quarterfinals
1949–1950 Western Kentucky State 25–6 8–0 1st NIT Quarterfinals
1950–1951 Western Kentucky State 19–10 4–4 4th NCT 1st Round
1951–1952 Western Kentucky State 26–5 11–1 1st NIT Quarterfinals
1952–1953 Western Kentucky State 25–6 8–2 2nd NIT Quarterfinals
1953–1954 Western Kentucky State 29–3 9–1 1st NIT 4th Place
1954–1955 Western Kentucky State 18–10 8–2 1st
1955–1956 Western Kentucky State 16–12 7–3 T-1st
1956–1957 Western Kentucky State 17–9 9–1 T-1st
1957–1958 Western Kentucky State 14–11 5–5 3rd
1958–1959 Western Kentucky State 16–10 8–4 2nd
1959–1960 Western Kentucky State 21–7 10–2 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1960–1961 Western Kentucky State 18–8 9–3 T-1st
1961–1962 Western Kentucky State 17–10 11–1 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1962–1963 Western Kentucky State 5–16 3–9 7th
1963–1964 Western Kentucky State 5–16 3–11 8th
E. A. Diddle: 759–302 121–51
John Oldham (Ohio Valley Conference) (1964–1971)
1964-1965 Western Kentucky State 18-9 10-4 2nd NIT 2nd Round
1965-1966 WKU 25-3 14-0 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1966-1967 WKU 23-3 13-1 1st NCAA Round of 23
1967-1968 WKU 18-7 9-5 3rd
1968-1969 WKU 16-10 9-5 3rd
1969-1970 WKU 22-3 14-0 1st NCAA Round of 25
1970-1971 WKU 24-6 12-2 1st NCAA Final Four 3rd place Vacated
John Oldham: 142-40 81-17
Jim Richards (Ohio Valley Conference) (1971–1978)
1971-1972 WKU 15-11 9-5 T-1st
1972-1973 WKU 10-16 6-8 6th NCAA Probation
1973-1974 WKU 15-10 8-6 4th NCAA Probation
1974-1975 WKU 16-8 11-3 2nd NCAA Probation
1975-1976 WKU 20-9 11-3 1st NCAA Round of 32
1976-1977 WKU 10-16 6-8 T-5th
1977-1978 WKU 16-14 9-5 t-3rd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Jim Richards: 102-84 60-38
Gene Keady (Ohio Valley Conference) (1978–1980)
1978–1979 WKU 17–11 7–5 T-2nd
1979–1980 WKU 21–8 10–2 T-1st NCAA Round of 48
Gene Keady: 38–19 17–7
Clem Haskins (Ohio Valley Conference) (1980–1982)
1980-1981 WKU 21-8 12-2 1st NCAA Round of 48
1981-1982 WKU 19-10 13-3 T-1st NIT 1st Round
Clem Haskins (Sun Belt Conference) (1982–1986)
1982-1983 WKU 12-16 4-10 7th
1983-1984 WKU 12-17 5-9 6th
1984-1985 WKU 14-14 5-9 7th
1985-1986 WKU 23-8 10-4 2nd NCAA Round of 32
Clem Haskins: 101-73 49-37
Murray Arnold (Sun Belt Conference) (1986–1990)
1986-1987 WKU 29-9 12-2 1st NCAA Round of 32
1987-1988 WKU 15-13 6-8 6th
1988-1989 WKU 14-15 4-10 7th
1989-1990 WKU 13-17 7-7 T-3rd
Murray Arnold: 71-54 29-27
Ralph Willard (Sun Belt Conference) (1990–1994)
1990-1991 WKU 14-14 8-6 T-3rd
1991-1992 WKU 21-11 10-6 4th NIT 1st Round
1992-1993 WKU 26-6 14-4 2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1993-1994 WKU 20-11 14-4 1st NCAA Round of 64
Ralph Willard: 81-42 46-20
Matt Kilcullen (Sun Belt Conference) (1994–1998)
1994-1995 WKU 27-4 17-1 1st NCAA Round of 32
1995-1996 WKU 13-14 10-8 T-3rd
1996-1997 WKU 12-15 9-9 T-6th
1997-1998 WKU 10-19 6-12 T8th
Ron Brown and Al Seibert (Co. head coaches last 6 games in 1997-98 season) (3–3)
Matt Kilcullen: 59-49 42-30
Ron Brown and Al Seibert: 3-3
Dennis Felton (Sun Belt Conference) (1998–2003)
1998-1999 WKU 13-16 7-7 T-3rd
1999-2000 WKU 11-18 8-8 5th
2000-2001 WKU 24-7 14-2 1st (East) NCAA Round of 64
2001-2002 WKU 28-4 13-1 1st (East) NCAA Round of 64
2002-2003 WKU 24-9 12-2 1st (East) NCAA Round of 64
Dennis Felton: 100-54 54-20
Darrin Horn (Sun Belt Conference) (2003–2008)
2003–2004 WKU 15–13 8–6 5th
2004–2005 WKU 22–9 9–5 2nd (East) NIT 2nd Round
2005–2006 WKU 23–8 12–2 1st (East) NIT 1st Round
2006–2007 WKU 22–11 12–6 2nd (East)
2007–2008 WKU 29–7 16–2 T–1st (East) NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Darrin Horn: 111–48 57–21
Ken McDonald (Sun Belt Conference) (2008–2012)
2008–2009 WKU 25-8 15-3 1st (East) NCAA Round of 32
2009–2010 WKU 21-13 12-6 3rd (East)
2010–2011 WKU 16-16 8-8 3rd (East)
2011–2012 WKU 5-11 1-2 - Coach fired after 16 games
Ken McDonald: 67–48 36-19
Ray Harper[5] (Sun Belt Conference) (2012–2014)
2011–2012 WKU 11-8 10-7 T-3rd (East) NCAA Round of 64
2012–2013 WKU 20-15 10-10 4th (East) NCAA Round of 64
2013–2014 WKU 20-12 12-6 2nd
Ray Harper (Conference USA) (2014–Current)
2014–2015 WKU 20-12 12-6 4th
Total: 1715-867

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[6][7] [8]

KIAC – Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
SIAA – Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
OVC – Ohio Valley Conference (T) Tournament
SBC – Sun Belt Conference (E) Eastern Division (T) Tournament
NCT - National Campus Tournament
NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
NIT – National Invitation Tournament
NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Hilltoppers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 23 times. Their combined record is 18–25.

Year Seed Round Opponent Results
1940 Elite Eight Duquesne L 29–30
1960 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Miami (FL)
Ohio State
Ohio		 W 107–84
L 79–98
L 87–97
1962 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Detroit
Ohio State
Butler		 W 90–81
L 73–93
L 86–87
1966 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Loyola (IL)
Michigan
Dayton		 W 105–86
L 79–80
W 82–62
1967 First Round Dayton L 67–69 OT
1970 First Round Jacksonville L 96–109
1971* First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National 3rd Place Game		 Jacksonville
Kentucky
Ohio State
Villanova
Kansas		 W 74–72
W 107–83
W 81–78 OT
L 89–92 2OT
W 77–75
1976 First Round Marquette L 60–79
1978 First Round
Sweet Sixteen		 Syracuse
Michigan State		 W 87–86 OT
L 69–90
1980 #10 First Round #7 Virginia Tech L 85–89 OT
1981 #10 First Round #7 UAB L 68–93
1986 #8 First Round
Second Round		 #9 Nebraska
#1 Kentucky		 W 67–59
L 64–71
1987 #10 First Round
Second Round		 #7 West Virginia
#2 Syracuse		 W 64–62
L 86–104
1993 #7 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		 #10 Memphis
#2 Seton Hall
#3 Florida State		 W 55–52
W 72–68
L 78–81 OT
1994 #11 First Round #6 Texas L 77–91
1995 #8 First Round
Second Round		 #9 Michigan
#1 Kansas		 W 82–76 OT
L 70–75
2001 #14 First Round #3 Florida L 56–69
2002 #9 First Round #8 Stanford L 68–84
2003 #13 First Round #4 Illinois L 60–65
2008 #12 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen		 #5 Drake
#13 San Diego
#1 UCLA		 W 101–99 OT
W 72–63
L 78–88
2009 #12 First Round
Second Round		 #5 Illinois
#4 Gonzaga		 W 76–72
L 81–83
2012 #16 First Four
Second Round		 #16 Mississippi Valley State
#1 Kentucky		 W 59–58
L 66–81
2013 #16 Second Round #1 Kansas L 57–64

* Vacated by the NCAA

NIT results

The Hilltoppers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 13 times. Their combined record is 8–13.

Year Round Opponent Result
1942 Quarterfinals CCNY
Creighton
West Virginia		 W 49–46
W 49–36
L 45–47
1943 Quarterfinals Fordham L 58–60
1948 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		 La Salle
Saint Louis
DePaul		 W 68–61
L 53–60
W 61–59
1949 Quarterfinals Bradley L 86–95
1950 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Niagara
St. John's		 W 79–72
L 46–65
1952 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Louisville
St. Bonaventure		 W 62–59
L 69–70
1953 Quarterfinals Duquesne L 61–69
1954 Quarterfinals
Semifinals		 Bowling Green
Holy Cross		 W 95–81
L 69–75
1965 First Round Fordham L 53–57
1982 First Round Purdue L 65–72
1992 First Round Kansas State L 74–85
2005 Opening Round
First Round		 Kent State
Wichita State		 W 88–80
L 81–84
2006 First Round South Carolina L 55–74

National Campus Basketball Tournament results

The Hilltoppers appeared in the only National Campus Basketball Tournament. Their record is 0–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
1951 Quarterfinals Bradley L 71–75

Milestones

Date Milestone Opponent Result (Won/Loss)
1914–1915 First win Bethel (Ky.) 38-21 (W)
1/28/1932 100th win Birmingham Southern 37-25 (W)
12/5/1949 500th win Kentucky Wesleyan 89-45 (W)
2/19/1977 1,000th win Murray State 82-81 (W)
2/5/2005 1,500th win Arkansas State 76-72 (W)
2/6/1943 500th game LaSalle 52-44 (W)
12/6/1960 1,000th game Lamar 74-71 (W)
1/25/1997 2,000th game New Orleans 70-66 (L)

E.A. Diddle Arena

E.A. Diddle Arena

Current coaching staff

  • Ray Harper - Head coach (Kentucky Wesleyan '85)
  • David Boyden - Assistant coach (WKU '03, '11)
  • Shawn Forrest - Assistant coach (Arkansas-Pine Bluff '98)
  • Open - Assistant coach
  • Chase Richardson - Director of Basketball Operations (WKU '11)
  • Mike Pollio - Graduate Assistant (Georgetown College (Kentucky) '10)
  • Ty Tipton - Graduate Assistant (WKU '13)
  • Open - Strength and Conditioning Coach

All-Americans

Year Name Position Notes
1938 William "Red" McCrocklin Center (Chuck Taylor)
1940 Carlisle Towery Center (Chuck Taylor)
1941 Carlisle Towery Center (Chuck Taylor)
1943 Oran McKinney Center (Helms Foundation)
1948 Dee Gibson Guard (Associated Press***)
1948 Don Ray Forward (Helms Foundation*)
1948 Odie Spears Forward (Associated Press***)
1949 Bob Lavoy Center (Associated Press***)
1949 John Oldham Guard (United Press**, Associated Press***)
1950 Buddy Cate Forward (Associated Press***)
1950 Bob Lavoy Center (Chuck Taylor*, Associated Press***)
1951 Rip Gish Forward-Center
1953 Tom Marshall Forward (Look Magazine**, Associated Press***)
1953 Art Spoelstra Center (Associated Press***)
1954 Tom Marshall Forward (Associated Press*, United Press*, Look Magazine*)
1958 Ralph Crosthwaite Center
1962 Bobby Rascoe Guard
1964 Darel Carrier Guard (Helms Foundation)
1965 Clem Haskins Forward (Associated Press***, United Press***)
1966 Clem Haskins Forward (Associated Press, United Press, Converse*)
1967 Clem Haskins Forward (USBWA, Associated Press,United Press,Helms Foundation, NABC*)
1969 Jim McDaniels Center (Helms Foundation, Associated Press***, United Press***, Converse***)
1970 Jim McDaniels Center (Helms Foundation, Associated Press***, United Press***, Converse*)
1971 Jim McDaniels Center (NABC, USBWA, Associated Press, Sporting News, United Press, NBA)
1976 Johnny Britt Guard (Associated Press***)
1982 Craig McCormick Center (Associated Press***)
1984 Kannard Johnson Forward (Sporting News All-Freshman)
1987 Tellis Frank Forward (Associated Press***, Sporting News***)
1989 Brett McNeal Guard (Associated Press***, Basketball Times***)
1993 Darnell Mee Guard (Associated Press***)
1996 Chris Robinson Forward-Guard (Basketball Weekly***)
2001 Chris Marcus Center (Associated Press***)
2002 Chris Marcus Center (Associated Press***, Basketball America***)
2004 Nigel Dixon Center (SI.com***)
2004 Mike Wells Guard (Associated Press***)
2006 Anthony Winchester Guard (Associated Press***)
2008 Courtney Lee Guard (Associated Press***,The NBA Draft Report**, Basketball Times**)
2009 Orlando Mendez-Valdez Guard (Associated Press***)
2016 Willie Carmichael III Forward *Second team **Third team ***Honorable mention

[9]

Retired jerseys

  • E.A. Diddle. 1923-64. Coach.
  • Carlisle Towery. 1939-41. Center.
  • John Oldham. 1943; 1947-49. Guard.
  • Tom Marshall. 1951-54. Forward.
  • Clem Haskins. 1965-67. Forward.
  • Jim McDaniels. 1969-71. Center.
  • Courtney Lee. 2004-08. Guard.


Note: The first jerseys retired in honor of Hilltopper basketball greats were hung in E.A. Diddle Arena during the 1999-2000 season. Also even though the jerseys are retired current and future players can and do use the numbers of the players whose jerseys are retired.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Vacated by NCAA

References

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  6. ↑ http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2012/DI.pdf
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ https://admin.xosn.com/fls/5400//Misc%20Files/Copy%20of%202011-12%20WKU%20Men%27s%20Basketball%20Media%20Information%20Guide.pdf?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=5400
  9. ↑ 2011-12 WKU media guide
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