Nickname Hilltoppers Mascot Big Red | Home Away Division Division I (NCAA) Colors Red, White | |
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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. Rick Stansbury was announced as the teams current head coach on March 28, 2016.
Contents
- Postseason
- NCAA tournament results
- NIT results
- National Campus Basketball Tournament results
- Current coaching staff
- Current Roster
- Retired jerseys
- References
The men's basketball program has the 16th most victories in the history of the NCAA and has attained the 8th best winning percentage in NCAA history. 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.
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
WKU has appeared in 38 national postseason tournaments and in 4 national final fours. Additionally, the team was scheduled to appear in the 1938 NAIA tournament, but the team declined to participate after winning the SIAA tournament. The school currently has a policy of only accepting invitations to the NCAA or NIT tournaments, which precludes participation in other tournaments such as the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament and College Basketball Invitational.
NCAA tournament results
The Hilltoppers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament 23 times. Their combined record is 18–25.
* Vacated by the NCAA
NIT results
The Hilltoppers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 13 times. When the NIT first started, it was considered the premiere college basketball tournament and remained on par with the NCAA tournament through the mid 1950s. 8 of the team's appearances occurred during this early period. Their combined record is 9–14.
National Campus Basketball Tournament results
The Hilltoppers appeared in the only National Campus Basketball Tournament. Their record is 0–1.
Current coaching staff
Current Roster
NO. NAME HT/WT POS YR HOMETOWN
Note: Bearden must sit out 2016/17 Due to NCAA Transfer Rules
Retired jerseys
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.