Wikipedia

List of Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball seasons

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

Season-by-season results

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Coach J.L. Arthur (Independent) (1914–1916)
1914–15 Western Kentucky State
Normal School 		5–1
1915–16 WKS 2–1
J.L.Arthur: 7–2 (.875)
No Team (World War I) (1916–1921)
Coach L.T. Smith (Independent) (1921–1922)
1921–22 Western 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
1923–24 WKS 9–9
1924–25 WKS 8–6
1925–26 WKS 10–4
Coach E. A. Diddle (Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1926–1948)
1926–27 WKS 12–7
1927–28 WKS 10–7
1928–29 WKS 8–10
1929–30 WKS 4–12
1930–31 WKS 11–3
1931–32 WKS 15–8 1st KIAC
1932–33 WKS 16–6 1st KIAC
1933–34 WKS 28–8 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1934–35 WKS 24–3 1st KIAC
1935–36 WKS 26–4 1st KIAC National Olympic Playoffs
1936–37 WKS 21–2 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1937–38 WKS 30–3 1st KIAC 1st SIAA NIBT (withdrew/forfeit)
1938–39 WKS 22–3 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1939–40 WKS 24–6 1st KIAC 1st SIAA NCAA Elite 8
1940–41 WKS 22–4 1st SIAA
1941–42 WKS 29–5 1st KIAC 1st SIAA NIT Runner Up
1942–43 WKS 24–3 1st KIAC NIT Quarterfinals
1943–44 WKS 13–9
1944–45 WKS 17–10
1945–46 WKS 15–19
1946–47 WKS 25–4 1st KIAC 1st SIAA
1947–48 Western Kentucky State
College 		28–2 1st KIAC
NCAA Annual Team
Champions[4]		 NIT 3rd place
Coach E. A. Diddle (Ohio Valley Conference) (1948–1964)
1948–49 WKSC 25–4 8–2 1st NIT Quarterfinals
1949–50 WKSC 25–6 8–0 1st NIT Quarterfinals
1950–51 WKSC 19–10 4–4 4th NCBT 1st Round
1951–52 WKSC 26–5 11–1 1st NIT Quarterfinals
1952–53 WKSC 25–6 8–2 2nd NIT Quarterfinals
1953–54 WKSC 29–3 9–1 1st NIT 4th Place
1954–55 WKSC 18–10 8–2 1st
1955–56 WKSC 16–12 7–3 T–1st
1956–57 WKSC 17–9 9–1 T–1st
1957–58 WKSC 14–11 5–5 3rd
1958–59 WKSC 16–10 8–4 2nd
1959–60 WKSC 21–7 10–2 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1960–61 WKSC 18–8 9–3 T–1st
1961–62 WKSC 17–10 11–1 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1962–63 WKSC 5–16 3–9 7th
1963–64 WKSC 5–16 3–11 8th
E. A. Diddle: 759–302 (.715) 121–51
Coach John Oldham (Ohio Valley Conference) (1964–1971)
1964–65 WKSC 18–9 10–4 2nd NIT Quarterfinals
1965–66 Western Kentucky
University 		25–3 14–0 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1966–67 WKU 23–3 13–1 1st NCAA round of 23
1967–68 WKU 18–7 9–5 3rd
1968–69 WKU 16–10 9–5 3rd
1969–70 WKU 22–3 14–0 1st NCAA round of 25
1970–71 WKU 24–6 12–2 1st NCAA Final Four *
John Oldham: 142–40 (.780) 81–17
Coach Jim Richards (Ohio Valley Conference) (1971–1978)
1971–72 WKU 15–11 9–5 T–1st
1972–73 WKU 10–16 6–8 6th (NCAA Probation)
1973–74 WKU 15–10 8–6 4th (NCAA Probation)
1974–75 WKU 16–8 11–3 2nd (NCAA Probation)
1975–76 WKU 20–9 11–3 1st NCAA round of 32
1976–77 WKU 10–16 6–8 T–5th
1977–78 WKU 16–14 9–5 T–3rd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Jim Richards: 102–84 (.548) 60–38
Coach Gene Keady (Ohio Valley Conference) (1978–1980)
1978–79 WKU 17–11 7–5 T–2nd
1979–80 WKU 21–8 10–2 T–1st NCAA round of 48
Gene Keady: 38–19 (.667) 17–7
Coach Clem Haskins (Ohio Valley Conference) (1980–1982)
1980–81 WKU 21–8 12–2 1st NCAA round of 48
1981–82 WKU 19–10 13–3 T–1st NIT 1st Round
Coach Clem Haskins (Sun Belt Conference) (1982–1986)
1982–83 WKU 12–16 4–10 7th
1983–84 WKU 12–17 5–9 6th
1984–85 WKU 14–14 5–9 7th
1985–86 WKU 23–8 10–4 2nd NCAA round of 32
Clem Haskins: 101–73 (.580) 49–37
Coach Murray Arnold (Sun Belt Conference) (1986–1990)
1986–87 WKU 29–9 12–2 1st NCAA round of 32
1987–88 WKU 15–13 6–8 6th
1988–89 WKU 14–15 4–10 7th
1989–90 WKU 13–17 7–7 T–3rd
Murray Arnold: 71–54 (.568) 29–27
Coach Ralph Willard (Sun Belt Conference) (1990–1994)
1990–91 WKU 14–14 8–6 T–3rd
1991–92 WKU 21–11 10–6 4th NIT 1st Round
1992–93 WKU 26–6 14–4 2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
1993–94 WKU 20–11 14–4 1st NCAA round of 64
Ralph Willard: 81–42 (.667) 46–20
Coach Matt Kilcullen (Sun Belt Conference) (1994–1998)
1994–95 WKU 27–4 17–1 1st NCAA round of 32
1995–96 WKU 13–14 10–8 T–3rd
1996–97 WKU 12–15 9–9 T–6th
1997–98 WKU 7–16 4–10 – –
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 3–3 2–2 T–8th
Ron Brown and Al Seibert: 3–3 (.500) 2–2
Coach Dennis Felton (Sun Belt Conference) (1998–2003)
1998–99 WKU 13–16 7–7 T–3rd
1999–00 WKU 11–18 8–8 5th
2000–01 WKU 24–7 14–2 1st (East) NCAA round of 64
2001–02 WKU 28–4 13–1 1st (East) NCAA round of 64
2002–03 WKU 24–9 12–2 1st (East) NCAA round of 64
Dennis Felton: 100–54 (.649) 54–20 (.730)
Coach Darrin Horn (Sun Belt Conference) (2003–2008)
2003–04 WKU 15–13 8–6 5th
2004–05 WKU 22–9 9–5 2nd (East) NIT 2nd Round
2005–06 WKU 23–8 12–2 1st (East) NIT 1st Round
2006–07 WKU 22–11 12–6 2nd (East)
2007–08 WKU 29–7 16–2 T–1st (East) NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Darrin Horn: 111–48 (.698) 57–21 (.731)
Coach Ken McDonald (Sun Belt Conference) (2008–2012)
2008–09 WKU 25–8 15–3 1st (East) NCAA round of 32
2009–10 WKU 21–13 12–6 3rd (East)
2010–11 WKU 16–16 8–8 3rd (East)
2011–12 WKU 5–11 1–2 – –
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 11–8 10–7 T–3rd (East) NCAA round of 64
2012–13 WKU 20–16 10–10 4th (East) NCAA round of 64
2013–14 WKU 21–11 12–6 2nd
Coach Ray Harper (Conference USA) (2014–2016)
2014–15 WKU 20–12 12–6 4th
2015–16 WKU 18–16 8–10 8th
Ray Harper: 90–63 (.588) 42–34 (.553)
Coach Rick Stansbury (Conference USA) (2016–2023)
2016–17 WKU 15–17 9–9 8th
2017–18 WKU 27–11 14–4 3rd NIT Final Four
2018–19 WKU 20–14 11–7 2nd
2019–20 WKU 20–10 13–5 2nd (Tournaments cancelled)
2020–21 WKU 21–8 11-3 1st (East) NIT Quarterfinals
2021–22 WKU 19–13 11-7 2nd (East)
2022–23 WKU 17–16 8-12 6th Stansbury 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 22–12 8–8 3rd NCAA round of 64
Steve Lutz: 22–12 (.647) 8–8 (.500)
Coach Hank Plona (Conference USA) (2024–present)
2024–25 WKU 0–0 0–0
Hank Plona: 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–)
Total: 1895–982 (.659)

      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

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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”).

Season AP
High 		AP
Final 		Coach
High 		Coach
Final
1948-49 3 5 N/A N/A
1949-50 7 8 N/A N/A
1950-51 13
1951-52 11 16 16
1952-53 8 17 11 11
1953-54 3 8 4 6
1954-55 20
1956-57 12 10
1957-58 16
1959-60 18
1960-61 19
1965-66 10 10 14
1966-67 3 6 5 7
1967-68 16
1968-69 15 14
1969-70 12 18 15 17
1970-71 5 7 5 7
1985-86 19
1986-87 8 10
1992-93 20 20 16 16
1993-94 25
1994-95 21 21
2001-02 17 19 18
2002-03 19 23
2007-08 22 22

References

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  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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