Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team is the men's basketball team that represents Western Kentucky University 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. Rick Stansbury was announced as the team's current head coach on March 28, 2016.
The men's basketball program has the 16th most victories in the history of the NCAA and has attained the eighth best winning percentage in NCAA history. The school made an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1971, which was later vacated, and has made four NIT Final Four appearances, including three in the early days of the NIT when it was on par with the NCAA tournament. 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. In 2014, the Hilltoppers joined Conference USA following conference realignment.
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.
Conference affiliation history
- 1914–15 to 1925–26 – Independent
- 1926–27 to 1947–48 – Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association & Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
- 1948–49 to 1981–82 – Ohio Valley Conference
- 1982–83 to 2013–14 – Sun Belt Conference
- 2014–15 to present – Conference USA
Postseason
NCAA tournament results
The Hilltoppers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 23 times. Their combined record is 19–24. Their appearance in the 1971 NCAA Tournament and third place finish were later vacated by the NCAA due to a player, Jim McDaniels, having signed a professional contract and accepted money during the season.NIT results
The Hilltoppers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament 14 times. When the NIT started, it was considered the premiere national college basketball tournament and remained on par with the NCAA Tournament through the mid 1950s, until the NCAA began giving automatic bids to conference champions in 1956. Western Kentucky's first eight appearances occurred during this early period, including their 2nd place finish in 1942, 3rd place in 1948, and 4th place in 1954. WKU made the NIT Final Four in 2018. Their combined record is 12–15.| 1942 | Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | 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 3rd Place Game | Bowling Green Holy Cross Niagara | W 95–81 L 69–75 L 65-71 |
| 1965 | First Round Quarterfinals | Fordham Army | W 57–53 L 54–58 |
| 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 |
| 2018 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Boston College USC Oklahoma State Utah | W 79–62 W 79–75 W 92–84 L 64–69 |
Other tournament results
In 1936 Western Kentucky was invited to the National Olympic Playoffs representing the South. They played two games against the Southwest representative, Arkansas, in Little Rock, AK, losing both games by scores of 36-43 and 30-38.The Hilltoppers were scheduled to appear in the 1938 National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament; however, the team was unable to make the trip and withdrew from the tournament. The NAIA lists the game as a forfeit, but Western Kentucky does not recognize the contest as part of their official record.
The Hilltoppers appeared in the 1951 National Campus Basketball Tournament where they were defeated by Bradley 71-75 in the first round.
Milestones
E.A. Diddle Arena
The E.A. Diddle Arena is a 7,326-seat multi-purpose arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States. The arena, built in 1963 is named after legendary WKU men's coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Edgar "E.A." Diddle.Current coaching staff
- Rick Stansbury - Head Coach
- Mark Hsu - Assistant Coach
- Nakita Johnson - Assistant Coach
- Talvis Franklin - Director of Basketball Operations
- Bob Hubbard - Academic Coordinator
- Martin Cross - Associate Director of Basketball Operations
- Erien Watson - Program Manager
All-Americans
Retired jerseys
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.Season-by-season results
BOLD indicates lead the NCAA in victories.NCBT – National Campus Basketball Tournament
NIBT – National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament
NIT – National Invitation Tournament
NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association