List of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball seasons

Last updated

This is season-by-season results for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Season-by-season results

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Coach J.L. Arthur (Independent)(1914–1916)
1914–15 Western Kentucky State
Normal School 		5–1
1915–16WKS 2–1
J.L.Arthur:7–2 (.875)
No Team (World War I)(1916–1921)
Coach L.T. Smith (Independent)(1921–1922)
1921–22Western Kentucky State
Normal School and
Teachers College		3–1
L.T.Smith:3–1 (.750)
Coach E. A. Diddle (Independent)(1922–1926)
1922–23 WKS 12–2
1923–24WKS 9–9
1924–25WKS 8–6
1925–26WKS 10–4
Coach E. A. Diddle (Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association)(1926–1948)
1926–27WKS 12–7
1927–28WKS 10–7
1928–29WKS 8–10
1929–30WKS 4–12
1930–31WKS 11–3
1931–32 WKS 15–81st KIAC
1932–33 WKS 16–61st KIAC
1933–34 WKS 28–81st KIAC 1st SIAA
1934–35 WKS 24–31st KIAC
1935–36 WKS 26–41st KIACNational Olympic Playoffs
1936–37 WKS 21–21st KIAC 1st SIAA
1937–38 WKS 30–31st KIAC 1st SIAA NIBT (withdrew/forfeit)
1938–39 WKS 22–31st KIAC 1st SIAA
1939–40 WKS 24–61st KIAC 1st SIAA NCAA Elite 8
1940–41 WKS 22–41st SIAA
1941–42 WKS 29–51st KIAC 1st SIAA NIT Runner Up
1942–43 WKS 24–31st KIAC NIT Quarterfinals
1943–44WKS 13–9
1944–45WKS 17–10
1945–46WKS 15–19
1946–47 WKS 25–41st KIAC 1st SIAA
1947–48 Western Kentucky State
College 		28–21st KIAC
NCAA Annual Team
Champions [4] 		NIT 3rd place
Coach E. A. Diddle (Ohio Valley Conference)(1948–1964)
1948–49 WKSC 25–48–2 1st NIT Quarterfinals
1949–50 WKSC 25–68–01st NIT Quarterfinals
1950–51 WKSC 19–104–44thNCBT 1st Round
1951–52 WKSC 26–511–11st NIT Quarterfinals
1952–53 WKSC 25–68–22nd NIT Quarterfinals
1953–54 WKSC 29–39–11st NIT 4th Place
1954–55 WKSC 18–108–21st
1955–56 WKSC 16–127–3T–1st
1956–57 WKSC 17–99–1T–1st
1957–58WKSC 14–115–53rd
1958–59WKSC 16–108–42nd
1959–60 WKSC 21–710–21st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1960–61 WKSC 18–89–3T–1st
1961–62 WKSC 17–1011–11st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1962–63WKSC 5–163–97th
1963–64WKSC 5–163–118th
E. A. Diddle:759–302 (.715)121–51
Coach John Oldham (Ohio Valley Conference)(1964–1971)
1964–65 WKSC 18–910–42nd NIT Quarterfinals
1965–66 Western Kentucky
University 		25–314–01st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1966–67 WKU 23–313–11st NCAA round of 23
1967–68WKU 18–79–53rd
1968–69WKU 16–109–53rd
1969–70 WKU 22–314–01st NCAA round of 25
1970–71 WKU 24–612–21st NCAA Final Four *
John Oldham:142–40 (.780)81–17
Coach Jim Richards (Ohio Valley Conference)(1971–1978)
1971–72 WKU 15–119–5T–1st
1972–73WKU 10–166–86th(NCAA Probation)
1973–74WKU 15–108–64th(NCAA Probation)
1974–75WKU 16–811–32nd(NCAA Probation)
1975–76 WKU 20–911–31st NCAA round of 32
1976–77WKU 10–166–8T–5th
1977–78 WKU 16–149–5T–3rd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Jim Richards:102–84 (.548)60–38
Coach Gene Keady (Ohio Valley Conference)(1978–1980)
1978–79 WKU 17–117–5T–2nd
1979–80 WKU 21–810–2T–1st NCAA round of 48
Gene Keady:38–19 (.667)17–7
Coach Clem Haskins (Ohio Valley Conference)(1980–1982)
1980–81 WKU 21–812–21st NCAA round of 48
1981–82 WKU 19–1013–3T–1st NIT 1st Round
Coach Clem Haskins (Sun Belt Conference)(1982–1986)
1982–83 WKU 12–164–107th
1983–84 WKU 12–175–96th
1984–85 WKU 14–145–97th
1985–86 WKU 23–810–42nd NCAA round of 32
Clem Haskins:101–73 (.580)49–37
Coach Murray Arnold (Sun Belt Conference)(1986–1990)
1986–87 WKU 29–912–21st NCAA round of 32
1987–88 WKU 15–136–86th
1988–89 WKU 14–154–107th
1989–90 WKU 13–177–7T–3rd
Murray Arnold:71–54 (.568)29–27
Coach Ralph Willard (Sun Belt Conference)(1990–1994)
1990–91 WKU 14–148–6T–3rd
1991–92 WKU 21–1110–64th NIT 1st Round
1992–93 WKU 26–614–42nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1993–94 WKU 20–1114–41st NCAA round of 64
Ralph Willard:81–42 (.667)46–20
Coach Matt Kilcullen (Sun Belt Conference)(1994–1998)
1994–95 WKU 27–417–11st NCAA round of 32
1995–96 WKU 13–1410–8T–3rd
1996–97 WKU 12–159–9T–6th
1997–98WKU 7–164–10––
Matt Kilcullen:59–49 (.546)42–30
Ron Brown and Al Seibert (named co-Head Coaches for last 6 games)(Sun Belt Conference)(1998–1998)
1997–98 WKU 3–32–2T–8th
Ron Brown and Al Seibert:3–3 (.500)2–2
Coach Dennis Felton (Sun Belt Conference)(1998–2003)
1998–99 WKU 13–167–7T–3rd
1999–00 WKU 11–188–85th
2000–01 WKU 24–714–21st (East) NCAA round of 64
2001–02 WKU 28–413–11st (East) NCAA round of 64
2002–03 WKU 24–912–21st (East) NCAA round of 64
Dennis Felton:100–54 (.649)54–20 (.730)
Coach Darrin Horn (Sun Belt Conference)(2003–2008)
2003–04WKU 15–138–65th
2004–05 WKU 22–99–52nd (East) NIT 2nd Round
2005–06 WKU 23–812–21st (East) NIT 1st Round
2006–07 WKU 22–1112–62nd (East)
2007–08 WKU 29–716–2T–1st (East) NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Darrin Horn:111–48 (.698)57–21 (.731)
Coach Ken McDonald (Sun Belt Conference)(2008–2012)
2008–09 WKU 25–815–31st (East) NCAA round of 32
2009–10 WKU 21–1312–63rd (East)
2010–11 WKU 16–168–83rd (East)
2011–12WKU 5–111–2––
Ken McDonald:67–48 (.583)36–19 (.655)
Ray Harper (named interim Head Coach after 16 games)(Sun Belt Conference)(2012–2014)
2011–12 WKU 11–810–7T–3rd (East) NCAA round of 64
2012–13 WKU 20–1610–104th (East) NCAA round of 64
2013–14 WKU 21–1112–62nd
Coach Ray Harper (Conference USA)(2014–2016)
2014–15 WKU 20–1212–64th
2015–16 WKU 18–168–108th
Ray Harper:90–63 (.588)42–34 (.553)
Coach Rick Stansbury (Conference USA)(2016–2023)
2016–17 WKU 15–179–98th
2017–18 WKU 27–1114–43rd NIT Final Four
2018–19 WKU 20–1411–72nd
2019–20 WKU 20–1013–52nd(Tournaments cancelled)
2020–21 WKU 21–811-31st (East) NIT Quarterfinals
2021–22 WKU 19–1311-72nd (East)
2022–23 WKU 17–168-126thStansbury missed 9 games with health issues. Phil Cunningham coached the team during those games winning 3 and losing 6. [5]
Rick Stansbury:136–83 (.621)74–41 (.643)
Coach Steve Lutz (Conference USA)(2023–2024)
2023–24 WKU 22–128–83rd NCAA round of 64
Steve Lutz:22–12 (.647)8–8 (.500)
Coach Hank Plona (Conference USA)(2024–present)
2024–25 WKU 17–158–107th
Hank Plona:17–15 (.531)8–10 (.444)
Total:1912–997 (.657)

      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] BOLD indicates lead the NCAA in victories. [9]
NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association
NIT – National Invitation Tournament
NCBT – National Campus Basketball Tournament [10]
NIBT – National Intercollegiate Basketball tournament [11]
* 1971 NCAA appearance, including 4 tournament wins, vacated by the NCAA

Rankings

The Associated Press (AP) began publishing a national college basketball poll during the 1948–49 season. The Coaches Poll began during the 1950–51 season. The highest that Western Kentucky has been ranked in the AP poll is number 3 (1949, 1954, and 1967); the highest they have been ranked in the Coaches poll is 4th in 1954. The AP poll was a top 20 poll from 1949 to 1960; a top 10 poll from 1961 to 1968; a top 20 from 1969 to 1989; and a top 25 poll since 1990. The Coaches poll started as a top 20 poll in 1950 and remained such until 1991 when it became a top 25 poll. Below is the team's highest ranking and final season ranking for each poll (it does not include times when Western Kentucky was listed as “receiving votes”).

SeasonAP
High		AP
Final		Coach
High		Coach
Final
1948-49 35N/AN/A
1949-50 78N/AN/A
1950-51 13
1951-52 111616
1952-53 8171111
1953-54 3846
1954-55 20
1956-57 1210
1957-58 16
1959-60 18
1960-61 19
1965-66 101014
1966-67 3657
1967-68 16
1968-69 1514
1969-70 12181517
1970-71 5757
1985-86 19
1986-87 810
1992-93 20201616
1993-94 25
1994-95 2121
2001-02 171918
2002-03 1923
2007-08 2222

References

  1. ↑ "WKU Hilltopper Basketball Media Guides". Western Kentucky University Athletic Department. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  2. ↑ Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co.
  3. ↑ Lowell H. Harrison (1987). Western Kentucky University. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN   978-0813116204.
  4. ↑ 2011 NCAA Division I Basketball Records, retrieved 30 April 2020
  5. ↑ Tops go cold in season-ending loss to FAU at bgdailynews.com
  6. ↑ http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2012/DI.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  7. ↑ "College Basketball - Standings - Rivals.com". Rivals.yahoo.com. April 20, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  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. ↑ E. A. Diddle CBB Records, Sports Reference, retrieved October 6, 2018
  10. ↑ National Campus Basketball Tournament, retrieved May 20, 2020
  11. ↑ NAIA Through the Decades, NAIA.org retrieved May 20, 2020
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