Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Basketball team is the men's basketball team that represents WKU in Bowling Green, Kentucky. (Women's teams at the school are Lady Toppers.) The Hilltoppers currently compete in the Sun Belt Conference. The team's most recent appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament was in 2008. The Hilltoppers are currently coached by Ken McDonald.
The men's basketball program, led by Former Hilltopper and Texas assistant Ken McDonald, has the 16th most victories in the history of the NCAA. The school has made one appearance in the NCAA Final Four, in 1971. WKU also made three appearances in the NIT Final Four while it was the premier post-season tournament. It is very competitive in the Sun Belt Conference, usually finishing near the top of the conference and regularly competing for the conference championship. In fact in Street & Smith's publications, "100 Greatest Programs", WKU ranked #31.
WKU has had 30 All Americans play for them and has had 56 of their players play professionally.
Western Kentucky men’s basketball record
| Year | W-L Record | Conference Championships | National Tournament Appearances | Peak National Ranking | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | 5- 1 | Coach J. L. Authur | |||
| 1916 | 2- 1 | - | |||
| 1917 | - | - | - | - | No team 1917-1921 |
| 1922 | 3- 1 | Coach L. T. Smith | |||
| 1923 | 12- 2 | Coach E. A. Diddle | |||
| 1924 | 9- 9 | - | |||
| 1925 | 8- 6 | - | |||
| 1926 | 10- 4 | - | KIAC Chartered, Joined SIAA | ||
| 1927 | 12- 7 | - | - | ||
| 1928 | 10- 7 | - | - | ||
| 1929 | 8-10 | - | - | ||
| 1930 | 4-12 | - | - | ||
| 1931 | 11- 3 | - | - | ||
| 1932 | 15- 8 | 1st KIAC | - | ||
| 1933 | 16- 6 | 1st KIAC | - | ||
| 1934 | 28- 8 | 1st KIAC, 1st SIAA | - | ||
| 1935 | 24- 3 | 1st KIAC | - | ||
| 1936 | 26- 4 | 1st KIAC | National Olympic Trials | - | |
| 1937 | 21- 2 | 1st KIAC, 1st SIAA | - | NAIA tournament begins | |
| 1938 | 30- 3 | 1st KIAC, 1st SIAA | NAIA* | *NAIA game forfeited. NIT begins | |
| 1939 | 22- 3 | 1st KIAC, 1st SIAA | - | NCAA tournament begins | |
| 1940 | 24- 6 | 1st KIAC, 1st SIAA | NCAA | - | |
| 1941 | 22- 4 | - 1st SIAA | - | - | |
| 1942 | 29- 5 | 1st KIAC, 1st SIAA | NIT 2nd place | Declined NCAA bid | |
| 1943 | 24- 3 | 1st KIAC | NIT | - | |
| 1944 | 13- 9 | - | - | - | |
| 1945 | 17-10 | - | - | - | |
| 1946 | 15-19 | - | - | - | |
| 1947 | 25- 4 | 1st KIAC, 1st SIAA | - | - | |
| 1948 | 28- 2 | 1st KIAC | NIT 3rd Place | NCAA Annual Team Champions | |
| 1949 | 25- 4 | 1st OVC, 1st OVCT | NIT | AP-3 | OVC chartered. AP begins national poll. |
| 1950 | 25- 6 | 1st OVC | NIT | AP-7 | - |
| 1951 | 19-10 | - | - | - | - |
| 1952 | 26- 5 | - 1st OVCT | NIT | AP-11 | Final UPI ranking 16 |
| 1953 | 25- 6 | - 1st OVCT | NIT | AP-8 | Final UPI ranking 11 |
| 1954 | 29- 3 | 1st OVC, 1st OVCT | NIT 4th Place | AP-3 | Final UPI ranking 6 |
| 1955 | 18-10 | 1st OVC | - | AP-20 | - |
| 1956 | 16-12 | 1st OVC (tied) | - | - | OVC stops holding tournament. OVC receives automatic NCAA bid |
| 1957 | 17- 9 | 1st OVC (tied) | - | AP-12 | - |
| 1958 | 14-11 | - | - | AP-16 | - |
| 1959 | 16-10 | - | - | - | - |
| 1960 | 21- 7 | 1st OVC | NCAA Regional 3rd Place | AP-18 | - |
| 1961 | 18- 8 | 1st OVC (tied) | - | - | - |
| 1962 | 17-10 | 1st OVC | NCAA Regional 4th Place | - | - |
| 1963 | 5-16 | - | - | - | - |
| 1964 | 5-16 | - | - | - | OVC restarts tournament. |
| 1965 | 18- 9 | - 1st OVCT | NIT | - | Coach John Oldham |
| 1966 | 25- 3 | 1st OVC, 1st OVCT | NCAA Regional 3rd Place | AP-10 | - |
| 1967 | 23- 3 | 1st OVC | NCAA | AP-3 | Final UPI ranking 7 |
| 1968 | 18- 7 | - | - | - | OVC stops holding tournament. |
| 1969 | 16-10 | - | - | AP-15 | - |
| 1970 | 22- 3 | 1st OVC | NCAA | AP-12 | Final UPI ranking 17 |
| 1971 | 24- 6 | 1st OVC | NCAA 3rd Place* | AP-5 | Final UPI ranking 7. *Vacated by NCAA |
| 1972 | 15-11 | 1st OVC (tied) | - | - | Coach Jim Richards |
| 1973 | 10-16 | - | - | - | NCAA Probation |
| 1974 | 15-10 | - | - | - | NCAA Probation |
| 1975 | 16- 8 | - | - | - | NCAA Probation. OVC restarts Tournament |
| 1976 | 20- 9 | 1st OVC, 1st OVCT | NCAA | - | - |
| 1977 | 10-16 | - | - | - | - |
| 1978 | 16-14 | - 1st OVCT | NCAA Sweet 16 | - | - |
| 1979 | 17-11 | - | - | - | Coach Gene Keady |
| 1980 | 21- 8 | t-1st OVC, 1st OVCT | NCAA | - | - |
| 1981 | 21- 8 | 1st OVC, 1st OVCT | NCAA | - | Coach Clem Haskins |
| 1982 | 19-10 | 1st OVC (tied) | NIT | - | - |
| 1983 | 12-16 | - | - | - | Joined SBC |
| 1984 | 12-17 | - | - | - | - |
| 1985 | 14-14 | - | - | - | - |
| 1986 | 23- 8 | - | NCAA | AP-19 | - |
| 1987 | 29- 9 | 1st SBC | NCAA | AP-8, UPI-10 | Coach Murray Arnold, 2nd Preseason NIT |
| 1988 | 15-13 | - | - | - | - |
| 1989 | 14-15 | - | - | - | - |
| 1990 | 13-17 | - | - | - | - |
| 1991 | 14-14 | - | - | - | Coach Ralph Willard |
| 1992 | 21-11 | - | NIT | - | - |
| 1993 | 26- 6 | - 1st SBCT | NCAA Sweet 16 | AP-20, CNN-25 | - |
| 1994 | 20-11 | 1st SBC | NCAA | AP-25 | - |
| 1995 | 27- 4 | 1st SBC, 1st SBCT | NCAA | AP-21 | Coach Matt Kilcullen |
| 1996 | 13-14 | - | - | - | - |
| 1997 | 12-15 | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 | 10-19 | - | - | - | - |
| 1999 | 13-16 | - | - | - | Coach Dennis Felton |
| 2000 | 11-18 | - | - | - | - |
| 2001 | 24- 7 | 1st SBC(E), 1st SBCT | NCAA | - | - |
| 2002 | 28- 4 | 1st SBC(E), 1st SBCT | NCAA | AP-18, ESPN-20 | - |
| 2003 | 24- 9 | 1st SBC(E), 1st SBCT | NCAA | - | - |
| 2004 | 15-13 | - | - | - | Coach Darin Horn |
| 2005 | 22- 9 | - | NIT | - | - |
| 2006 | 23- 8 | 1st SBC(E) | NIT | - | - |
| 2007 | 22-11 | - | - | - | - |
| 2008 | 29- 7 | t-1st SBC(E), 1st SBCT | NCAA Sweet 16 | ESPN-22 | - |
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
NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
NIT – National Invitation Tournament
NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association
Note: When the NIT started it was generally considered to be more prestigious than the NCAA tournament. It remained on par with the NCAA through the mid 1950’s.
NCAA Tournament Results
The Hilltoppers have appeared in 20 NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 15-20.
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 1940 | Elite Eight |
| 1960 | Regional Third Place |
| 1962 | Regional Fourth Place |
| 1966 | Regional Third Place |
| 1967 | First Round |
| 1970 | First Round |
| 1971 | Third Place* |
| 1976 | Round of 32 |
| 1978 | Sweet Sixteen |
| 1980 | First Round |
| 1981 | First Round |
| 1986 | Second Round |
| 1987 | Second Round |
| 1993 | Sweet Sixteen |
| 1994 | First Round |
| 1995 | Second Round |
| 2001 | First Round |
| 2002 | First Round |
| 2003 | First Round |
| 2008 | Sweet Sixteen |
In the 2008 NCAA tournament WKU entered the tourney as a 12th seed and went on to upset the #5 seed Drake Bulldogs in the first round with a last second three-pointer by Ty Rogers in the corner. They advanced to the Sweet Sixteen by defeating the #13 seed San Diego Toreros in the second round of the tournament. They then went on to lose a closely contested and well played game to the #1 UCLA Bruins in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.
NIT Tournament Results
Most of WKU's appearances in the NIT came when it was considered the elite tournament. Including three Final four appearances (1942, 1948,1954).| Year | Record |
|---|---|
| 1942 | 2-1 (Runner Up) |
| 1943 | 0-1 |
| 1948 | 2-1 (Third Place) |
| 1949 | 0-1 |
| 1950 | 1-1 |
| 1952 | 1-1 |
| 1953 | 0-1 |
| 1954 | 1-2 (Fourth Place) |
| 1965 | 1-1 |
| 1982 | 0-1 |
| 1992 | 0-1 |
| 2005 | 1-1 |
| 2006 | 0-1 |
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) |
| 1914-1915 | First game | Bethel (ky.) | 38-21 (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
One of the finest on-campus arenas in the country, WKU’s E.A. Diddle Arena begins its 46th year of operation in 2008-09. The building - named for legendary Hilltopper coach E.A. Diddle — was officially dedicated in December 1963, and underwent a $32 million renovation in 2002. The renovation has been the focal point of WKU’s extensive athletic complex makeover
Included in the Diddle Arena renovation were a new playing floor, all-new seating, two “Pepsi Vision” video boards and 16 luxury suites. But those were just the changes made to the playing arena. A new addition was added to the back side of the arena, which houses new training and weight rooms, as well as a 30,000-square foot auxiliary gym complex, which contains two regulation basketball courts with a firewall divider. New locker rooms and office facilities also were added for multiple sports and the athletic administration. The utility and versatility of the arena has been amply demonstrated throughout the years. It has been the site of NCAA regional tournaments in both men’s and women’s basketball, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s girls Sweet Sixteen basketball tournament, some ABA games and an NBA exhibition game.
2008-2009 Roster
Current coaching staff
- Ken McDonald Head coach (Providence '92)
- Ray Harper Assistant coach (Kentucky Wesleyan '85)
- Lawrence Brenneman Assistant coach (Geneva [Pa.] '85)
- David Boyden Assistant coach (WKU '03)
Players
| Name | Number | Position | Height | Year | Hometown |
| Sergio Kerusch | 1 | G/F | 6-9 | Sophomore | Memphis, Tenn. |
| A.J. Slaughter | 4 | G | 6-3 | Junior | Shelbyville, Ky. |
| Robbie Townsend | 11 | G | 5-10 | Freshman | Fort Campbell, Ky. |
| Orlando Mendez-Valdez | 20 | G | 6-1 | Senior | San Antonio, Texas |
| Adam Decker | 21 | G | 5-11 | Freshman | Louisville, Ky. |
| B.J. Frazier | 22 | F | 6-7 | Sophomore | Stone Mountain, Ga. |
| Mike Walker | 23 | F | 6-7 | Senior | Macon, Ga. |
| Steffphon Pettigrew | 30 | G/F | 6-5 | Sophomore | Elizabethtown, Ky. |
| Japeth Aguilar | 31 | C | 6-9 | Senior | Pampanga, Philippines |
| D.J. Magley | 35 | F | 6-9 | Sophomore | Bradenton, Fla. |
| Jeremy Evans | 40 | F | 6-9 | Junior | Crossett, Ark. |
| Matt Maresca | 41 | F | 6-8 | Senior | Bowling Green, Ky. |
| Anthony Sally | 44 | G | 6-2 | Junior | Richmond, Va. |
| Jameson Tipping | N/A | G | 6-5 | Freshman | Orangeville, Ontario |
| Dejan Cvoro | N/A | G | 6-5 | Freshman | Belgrade, Serbia |
All-Americans
| Year | Name | Postition | 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 | (The NBA Draft Report**) |
| *Second Team | **Third Team | ***Honorable Mention |
Notable former WKU basketball players and coaches
- Courtney Lee, Current Orlando Magic Shooting Guard
- Coach E. A. Diddle, basketball coach
- Clarence Glover, former National Basketball Association player and current Assistant Principal at Farnsley Middle School in Louisville, KY
- Clem Haskins. former Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns and the Washington Bullets National Basketball Association player and former NCAA basketball coach for both WKU and the University of Minnesota
- Jim McDaniels, basketball player who went on to a career in the ABA and NBA
- Forest Able, former American basketball player
- Walker Banks,former American basketball player
- Darel Carrier, former professional basketball player
- Wayne Chapman, former American basketball player
- Tellis Frank, former professional basketball player
- John Givens
- Darrin Horn
- Kannard Johnson
- Bobby Jones
- Kurk Lee
- Tom Marshal
- Darnell Mee
- Nigel Dixon
- Gene Rhodes
- Chris Robinson
- Greg Smith
- Odie Spears
- Carlisle Towery
- Kevin Willard
- Elgrace Wilborn, Former Harlem Globetrotters player and currently plays in the Europe
See also
Sources
Notes
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Last updated on Sunday September 21, 2008 at 23:53:14 PDT (GMT -0700)
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