2022–23 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

2022–23 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
ConferenceConference USA
Record17–16 (8–12 C-USA)
Head coach
Associate head coachPhil Cunningham
Assistant coaches
  • Martin Cross
  • Marcus Grant
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
Seasons
2022–23 Conference USA men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 25 Florida Atlantic † 18 – 2   .900 35 – 4   .897
North Texas 16 – 4   .800 31 – 7   .816
UAB 14 – 6   .700 29 – 10   .744
Middle Tennessee 11 – 9   .550 19 – 14   .576
Charlotte 9 – 11   .450 22 – 14   .611
Rice 8 – 12   .400 19 – 16   .543
FIU 8 – 12   .400 14 – 18   .438
Western Kentucky 8 – 12   .400 17 – 16   .515
UTEP 7 – 13   .350 14 – 18   .438
Louisiana Tech 7 – 13   .350 15 – 18   .455
UTSA 4 – 16   .200 10 – 22   .313
† 2023 C-USA tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

The 2022–23 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by head coach Rick Stansbury in his seventh season and played their home games at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky as ninth-year members of Conference USA. They finished the season 17–16, 8–12 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for seventh place. As the No. 8 seed in the C-USA tournament, they defeated UTEP in the first round before losing to Florida Atlantic in the quarterfinals.

On March 11, 2023, the school announced that head coach Rick Stansbury had resigned.[1] On March 18, the school named Texas A&M–Corpus Christi head coach Steve Lutz the team's new head coach.[2]

Previous season

The Hilltoppers finished the 2021–22 season 19–13, 11–7 in C-USA play to finish tied for second the West Division. They quarterfinals of the C-USA tournament to Louisiana Tech.

Offseason

Departures

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Reason for departure
Jaylen Butz 1 F 6'9" 230 RS Senior Fort Wayne, IN Graduated
Josh Anderson 4 G 6'6" 190 GS Senior Baton Rouge, LA Graduated
Sherman Brashear 13 G 6'5" 180 Sophomore Dallas, TX Transferred to Texas–Rio Grande Valley
Bailey Conrad 32 F 6'7" 220 Sophomore Corydon, IN Walk-on; transferred to The Citadel
Isaiah Cozart 50 F 6'7" 240 Junior Richmond, KY Transferred to Eastern Kentucky
Camron Justice 55 G 6'3" 185 GS Senior Hindman, KY Graduated

Incoming transfers

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Fallou Diagne 1 F 6'11" 200 RS Sophomore Senegal, Africa Northwest Florida State College
Jordan Rawls 2 G 6'1" 180 Senior Chattanooga, TN Georgia State
Khristian Lander 4 G 6'2" 185 Junior Evansville, Indiana Indiana
Dontaie Allen 11 G 6'6" 205 RS Junior Falmouth, KY Kentucky
Emmanuel Akot 13 G 6'8" 210 GS Senior Winnipeg, MB Boise State
Tyrone Marshall, Jr. 24 F 6'7" 215 Junior Nashville, TN Colby CC

Recruiting classes

2022 recruiting class

There were no incoming recruits for the class of 2022.

2023 recruiting class

College recruiting information (2021)
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Riley Allenspach
#86 C 		Cornelius, NC Providence Day School 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Aug 5, 2022 
Star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports:3/5 stars    ESPN:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 77
Teagan Moore
SG 		Owenton, KY Owen County High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jul 13, 2022 
Star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports:3/5 stars    ESPN: N/A   ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 17, 2022.

Roster

2022–23 WKU Hilltoppers men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
C 0 Darrius Miles 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Jr Faith Family Academy
Odessa College 		Oak Cliff, TX
F/C 1 Fallou Diagne 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 205 lb (93 kg) RS So Compass Prep
Northwest Florida State College 		Dakar, Senegal
G 2 Jordan Rawls 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Sr Hamilton Heights HS
Georgia State 		Chattanooga, TN
F 3 Jairus Hamilton 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) RS Sr Cannon School
Maryland 		Charlotte, NC
G 4 Khristian Lander 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Jr FJ Reitz HS
Indiana 		Evansville, IN
G 5 Noah Stansbury (W) 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) RS So Greenwood HS Bowling Green, KY
G 10 Elijah Hughey 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Fr Lancaster HS Dallas, TX
G 11 Dontaie Allen 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) RS Jr Pendleton County HS
Kentucky 		Falmouth, KY
G 12 Tyler Olden (W) 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 210 lb (95 kg) So Hillcrest Prep Scottsdale, AZ
G 13 Emmanuel Akot 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) RS Sr Wasatch Academy
Boise State 		Winnipeg, MB
G 14 Luke Frampton 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) RS Sr Poca HS
Davidson 		Poca, WV
G 20 Dayvion McKnight 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Jr Collins HS Shelbyville, KY
F 23 Jaylen Dorsey (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) So Berea HS Berea, KY
F 24 Tyrone Marshall 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Pearl Cohn HS
Northwest Florida State College 		Nashville, TN
C 33 Jamarion Sharp 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Sr Hopkinsville HS
John A. Logan College 		Hopkinsville, KY
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 2, 2022*
7:00 p.m. 		Montevallo W 93–65 
 14 – Hamilton   9 – Hamilton   5 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,011)
Bowling Green, KY
November 5, 2022*
3:00 p.m. 		Georgetown (KY) W 88–68 
 17 – Hamilton   8 – McKnight   8 – Rawls  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,021)
Bowling Green, KY
Non-conference Regular season
November 10, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Eastern Kentucky W 66–60  1–0
  21 – Frampton   9 – Hamilton   6 – McKnight  Baptist Health Arena (6,303)
Richmond, KY
November 12, 2022*
6:00 p.m. 		Kentucky State W 127–61  2–0
  20 – Frampton   10 – Hamilton   10 – Akot  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,810)
Bowling Green, KY
November 15, 2022*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Indianapolis W 68–50  3–0
  16 – McKnight   11 – Sharp   3 – Tied  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,208)
Bowling Green, KY
November 21, 2022*
12:30 p.m., FloSports 		vs. Akron
Cayman Islands Classic quarterfinals 		L 53–72  3–1
  13 – Akot   5 – McKnight   4 – Frampton  John Gray Gymnasium 
George Town, Cayman Islands
November 22, 2022*
10:00 a.m., FloSports 		vs. Illinois State
Cayman Islands Classic consolation second round 		W 78–66  4–1
  14 – Tied   5 – Tied   5 – McKnight  John Gray Gymnasium 
George Town, Cayman Islands
November 23, 2022*
12:30 p.m., FloSports 		vs. Tulane
Cayman Islands Classic 5th place game 		W 71–65  5–1
  19 – Frampton   7 – Frampton   8 – McKnight  John Gray Gymnasium 
George Town, Cayman Islands
November 26, 2022*
3:00 p.m., ESPN3/ESPN+ 		South Carolina State W 90–64  6–1
  18 – Frampton   9 – Hamilton   10 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,365)
Bowling Green, KY
November 30, 2022*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Austin Peay W 75–74  7–1
  20 – Akot   9 – Sharp   7 – McKnight  Dunn Center (1,833)
Clarksville, TN
December 10, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN3/ESPN+ 		Wright State W 64–60  8–1
  32 – McKnight   7 – Hamilton   3 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (4,010)
Bowling Green, KY
December 14, 2022*
8:00 p.m., ESPN2 		at Louisville L 83–94  8–2
  25 – McKnight   12 – Hamilton   4 – Tied  KFC Yum! Center (12,417)
Louisville, KY
December 22, 2022*
6:00 p.m., SECN 		at South Carolina L 58–65  8–3
  28 – McKnight   8 – McKnight   1 – Tied  Colonial Life Arena (9,163)
Columbia, SC
Conference USA regular season
December 29, 2022
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Rice L 78–81  8–4
(0–1) 		 18 – Hamilton   8 – Sharp   5 – Akot  E. A. Diddle Arena (4,018)
Bowling Green, KY
December 31, 2022
3:00 p.m., CBSSN 		at Middle Tennessee L 60–65  8–5
(0–2) 		 14 – Akot   8 – Sharp   6 – McKnight  Murphy Center (3,124)
Murfreesboro, TN
January 5, 2023
8:00 p.m., CBSSN 		North Texas L 66–70  8–6
(0–3) 		 29 – McKnight   5 – Tied   2 – Tied  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,024)
Bowling Green, KY
January 7, 2023
3:00 p.m., Stadium 		at UTSA W 74–64  9–6
(1–3) 		 16 – Akot   12 – Sharp   5 – Hamilton  Convocation Center (922)
San Antonio, TX
January 11, 2023
8:00 p.m., CBSSN 		at UAB W 80–78  10–6
(2–3) 		 27 – McKnight   8 – Sharp   4 – Tied  Bartow Arena (4,353)
Birmingham, AL
January 14, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		FIU W 70–59  11–6
(3–3) 		 14 – McKnight   10 – Sharp   4 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (4,743)
Bowling Green, KY
January 16, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPNU 		No. 24 Florida Atlantic L 62–76  11–7
(3–4) 		 15 – McKnight   9 – McKnight   4 – Rawls  E. A. Diddle Arena (5,206)
Bowling Green, KY
January 19, 2023
8:00 p.m., CBSSN 		at Louisiana Tech L 74–85 OT 11–8
(3–5) 		 15 – Sharp   11 – Sharp   8 – McKnight  Thomas Assembly Center (2,497)
Ruston, LA
January 21, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		Charlotte L 71–75  11–9
(3–6) 		 25 – Rawls   7 – McKnight   3 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (4,793)
Bowling Green, KY
January 26, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at FIU L 69–78  11–10
(3–7) 		 23 – McKnight   7 – Hamilton   7 – Rawls  Ocean Bank Convocation Center (1,417)
Miami, FL
January 28, 2023
3:00 p.m., Stadium 		at No. 21 Florida Atlantic L 63–70  11–11
(3–8) 		 17 – Rawls   14 – Sharp   3 – Rawls  Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena (3,012)
Boca Raton, FL
February 2, 2023
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		UTSA W 81–74  12–11
(4–8) 		 22 – Allen   7 – Tied   5 – Akot  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,226)
Bowling Green, KY
February 4, 2023
3:00 p.m., Stadium 		UTEP W 74–69  13–11
(5–8) 		 25 – Allen   11 – Sharp   4 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (4,169)
Bowling Green, KY
February 9, 2023
7:00 p.m., CBSSN 		Middle Tennessee W 93–89  14–11
(6–8) 		 33 – McKnight   6 – Hamilton   5 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (4,019)
Bowling Green, KY
February 16, 2023
6:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Charlotte L 64–68 OT 14–12
(6–9) 		 24 – Allen   10 – Sharp   3 – McKnight  Dale F. Halton Arena (2,674)
Charlotte, NC
February 18, 2023
7:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at Rice L 77–83  14–13
(6–10) 		 21 – McKnight   8 – McKnight   6 – Rawls  Tudor Fieldhouse (2,141)
Houston, TX
February 23, 2023
8:00 p.m., CBSSN 		Louisiana Tech W 76–66  15–13
(7–10) 		 19 – McKnight   11 – Sharp   3 – Tied  E. A. Diddle Arena (3,156)
Bowling Green, KY
February 25, 2023
7:00 p.m., CBSSN 		UAB L 60–72  15–14
(7–11) 		 20 – Hamilton   7 – Akot   6 – McKnight  E. A. Diddle Arena (5,623)
Bowling Green, KY
March 2, 2023
8:00 p.m., ESPN+ 		at UTEP W 73–68  16–14
(8–11) 		 24 – McKnight   9 – Sharp   3 – McKnight  Don Haskins Center (3,725)
El Paso, TX
March 4, 2023
2:00 p.m., Stadium 		at North Texas L 33–67  16–15
(8–12) 		 8 – Sharp   11 – Sharp   2 – Marshall  The Super Pit (5,002)
Denton, TX
Conference USA Tournament
March 8, 2023
5:30 p.m., ESPN+ 		(8) vs. (9) UTEP
First round 		W 73–67  17–15
  16 – Sharp   8 – Sharp   7 – McKnight  Ford Center at The Star 
Frisco, TX
March 9, 2023
5:30 p.m., ESPN+ 		(8) vs. (1) Florida Atlantic
Quarterfinals 		L 51–75  17–16
  18 – McKnight   11 – Sharp   2 – McKnight  Ford Center at The Star (1,773)
Frisco, TX
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

Source[3]

References

  1. ^ "Rick Stansbury resigns as Western Kentucky basketball coach after seven seasons". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "W. Kentucky hires Texas A&M-CC's Lutz as coach". ESPN.com. March 18, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site – Men's Basketball". wkusports.com.