Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® WKU Archives Records WKU Archives 2016 UA19/16/1 WKU 2016-17 Media Guide WKU Athletic Media Relations Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records Part of the African American Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Public Relations and Advertising Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Sports Management Commons, and the Sports Studies Commons This Book is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in WKU Archives Records by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WKU-MensBBall-MediaGuide-Cover-Print-v2.pdf 1 10/7/16 12:53 PM C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Respect. Defend. Own. 2016-17 BASKETBALL The next chapter is about to begin. As WKU enters a new athletic season in 2016-17, it also enters a new era as an athletic program. Hilltopper student-athletes and staff made sure this new era begins with a heightened standard, following incredible freshman and sophomore seasons in Conference USA. WKU’s 14 combined championships are double the next closest member school over the past two seasons, and the standards for academic achievement have never been higher. Now it’s time to move forward with that momentum at our backs. Respect the past. Defend the present. Own the future. RESPECT THE PAST DEFEND THE PRESENT OWN THE FUTURE Winning championships and With success comes the target. WKU’s brand is constantly evolving. graduating at a high level is After a record-breaking campaign As more and more fans join the nothing new. As Hilltoppers, it’s in 2014-15, in which WKU became Hilltopper Nation, WKU must grow in our blood. Since 1958, WKU the first Conference USA school with them. In 2016-17, we will has won at least one conference to win eight championships and introduce a new look for WKU. GENERAL championship - an incredible a bowl game, the Hilltoppers got The legendary red towel is here streak of 58 consecutive seasons. everyone’s best shot in 2015-16, to stay, make no mistake about and they responded with six more HILLTOPPERS As we move forward, it. It will always be a part of those championships and a second- understanding where we came who represent the Hilltoppers, and consecutive bowl victory. from is paramount to current and those who came before them. But future success. The path for current What we have won, we have starting in 2016-17, fans will be Hilltoppers has been cleared by earned. able to express their support for REVIEW 15-16 legends like Clem Haskins and Jim Hilltopper basketball and football It is on the current Hilltoppers McDaniels in basketball, Jimmy in the same way they support Lady now to defend that legacy. We Feix and Jack Harbaugh in football, Topper volleyball and basketball. will keep the same sense of and hundreds of others like Kenny urgency to continue as an athletic Every program brings something HISTORY Perry, Virgil Livers and Crystal Kelly. and academic leader – not only valuable and unique to WKU, but With that success, E.A. Diddle’s in Conference USA, but in the we’re all intertwined by the belief red towel has transformed from Commonwealth of Kentucky. that together, we can set the an interesting anecdote on standard. That’s very much the UNIVERSITY the hardwood to a symbol of spirit of our new look. No matter excellence, heritage and pride for how you choose to display your all Hilltoppers. pride, it will be synonymous with success in WKU’s past, present and OPPONENTS future. @WKUBasketball 1 Table of Contents 1 Respect. Defend. Own. 96 Hilltoppers in the Pros 2 Table of Contents 98 Courtney Lee / Jeremy Evans 3 Quick Facts 100 All-Time Letterwinners 4 Media Information 106 All-Time Coaches Roster 6 Media Contact Information 108 1,000-Point Scorers 7 E.A. Diddle 116 Year-by-Year Records 8 E.A. Diddle Arena 119 All-Time Results 10 Hilltopper IMG Sports Network 154 All-Time Series Records 11 Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network 157 Series Records by Opponent 12 Team Roster 180 Games Versus Ranked Opponents 182 All-Time National Rankings 2016-17 OUTLOOK 183 NCAA Tournament History 13 2016-17 Outlook 184 NIT History 14 2016-17 Preseason Notebook UNIVERSITY COACHING STAFF 186 Western Kentucky University 16 Head Coach Rick Stansbury 187 Bowling Green, Kentucky 21 Assistant Coach Chris Cheeks 188 University President 23 Assistant Coach Shammond Williams 189 Director of Athletics 24 Assistant Coach Quannas White 190 Senior Athletic Staff 25 Assistants' Winning Pedigree 191 Student-Athlete Outreach 26 Support Staff 192 Big Red HILLTOPPERS CONFERENCE USA 30 Ben Lawson 194 Conference USA 31 Anton Waters 196 C-USA Basketball Championship 32 Justin Johnson 197 2015-16 C-USA Statistics 34 Willie Carmichael 199 2016-17 C-USA Composite Schedule 35 Jabari McGhee 36 Graduate Transfers OPPONENTS 37 Que Johnson/Junior Lomomba 204 2016-17 Opponent Profiles 38 Pancake Thomas/Lamonte Bearden 39 Tobias Howard/Marty Leahy WKU junior forward Justin Johnson 40 Damari Parris/Tyler Miller 41 Marko Stajkovski 42 Hilltoppers by State and Country 43 Career Game-by-Game 2015-16 REVIEW 48 2015-16 Team Statistics 49 2015-16 Player Statistics 50 2015-16 Results 51 2015-16 Game-by-Game Comparison 52 2015-16 Individual Points-Rebounds-Assists 53 2015-16 Game Highs 54 2015-16 Game Lows 55 2015-16 Box Scores 72 2015 Gulf Coast Showcase HISTORY 74 Single-Game Records 75 Overall Records 82 E.A. Diddle Arena Records 84 Scoring Leaders 86 Annual Leaders 91 Hilltopper All-Americans 92 Hilltopper Honor Roll 2 Hilltopper Basketball Quick Facts 2016-17 BASKETBALL UNIVERSITY INFORMATION HILLTOPPER BASKETBALL INFORMATION Location Bowling Green, Ky., 42101 2015-16 Record 18-16 Founded 1906 • Home 12-4 Enrollment 20,178 • Road 3-9 Nickname Hilltoppers • Neutral 3-3 Colors Red and White 2015-16 Conference USA Record 8-10 (8th) Arena (Capacity) E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326) Postseason None National Affiliation NCAA Division I Final National Ranking None Conference Affiliation Conference USA Letterwinners Returning/Lost 3-9 President Dr. Gary Ransdell Starters Returning/Lost 2/3 Director of Athletics Todd Stewart Newcomers 9 Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Craig Martin Ticket Office 270-745-5222 / 1-800-5-BIG-RED Starters Returning • Justin Johnson (Jr., F) - 14.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 60.2% FG HILLTOPPER BASKETBALL HISTORY • Anton Waters (Sr., F) - 4.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 19 starts First Year of Basketball 1914-15 All-Time Record 1,737-883 (.663) Starters Lost Seasons of College Basketball 97 • Aaron Cosby (Sr., G) - 13.7 ppg, 81 made 3s, 85.5% FT 20-Win Seasons 43 • Chris McNeal (Fr., G) - 5.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.9 apg Regular Season Conference Championships 42 • Fredrick Edmond (Jr., G) - 12.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 57.2% FG NCAA Tournament Appearances 23 • Last NCAA Tournament Appearance 2013 Other Key Returners NIT Appearances 13 • Ben Lawson (Sr., F) - 5.0 ppg, 66 blocks, 59.4% FG • Last NIT Appearance 2006 • Willie Carmichael (R-So., F) - Sat out 2015-16 Postseason Record 28-38 (36 apps.) • Jabari McGhee (R-So., F) - eligible middle of 2016-17 Last Postseason Appearance 2013 • L, 64-57 vs. #1 Kansas, NCAA Second Round Other Key Losses • Nigel Snipes (Sr., G) - 8.9 ppg, 45.3% 3-point, 8 starts HILLTOPPER BASKETBALL COACHING STAFF • Aleksej Rostov (Sr., F) - 3.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 10 starts Head Coach Rick Stansbury (First season) • Career Record 293-166 (14 seasons) Scholarship Newcomers • Record at WKU First season • Que Johnson (R-Sr., G, Wash. State) - grad transfer Assistant Coach Chris Cheeks (First season) • Junior Lomomba (R-Sr., G, Providence) - grad transfer GENERAL Assistant Coach Shammond Williams (First season) • Pancake Thomas (R-Sr., G, Hartford) - grad transfer Assistant Coach Quannas White (First season) • Lamonte Bearden (Jr., G, Buffalo) - sits out 2016-17 Director of Ops. Talvis Franklin (First season) as transfer HILLTOPPERS Assoc. Director of Ops. Martin Cross (First season) • Tobias Howard (Fr., G, DME Academy [Lithonia, Ga.]) Video Coordinator Mark Martin (First season) • Marty Leahy (Fr., G, Ipswich Grammar School Academic Coordinator William Monts (First season) [Brisbane, Australia]) Grad. Asst. Manager Ben Hansbrough (First season) • Damari Parris (Fr., G, Evelyn Mack Acad. [Bowie, Md.]) REVIEW 15-16 Athletic Trainer Mike Gaddie (17th season) • Marko Stajkovski (Fr., G, E-Gimnazija Strength and Cond. Coach Duane Hall (Third season) [Novi Sad, Serbia]) CREDITS HISTORY Editor Zach Greenwell The 2016-17 WKU Hilltopper Basketball Media Guide is a Asst. Editor Lance Dozier publication of the WKU Athletic Communications/Media Design/Layout Kyle Neaves, Zach Greenwell, Relations Office. All text and photo content is property Gerald Printing of WKU Athletics and Western Kentucky University UNIVERSITY Photography Steve Roberts, Megan Stearman, and may not be reproduced without permission. This document was printed with state funds. Joshua Lindsey, Brandon Carter, Dr. James Robinson, Joe Imel, OPPONENTS Bryan Lemon, Clinton Lewis, IMG, WKUSports.com is the official online home for all 16 sports on The Hill. Rosters, schedules, statistics, game WKU Archives, BG Daily News, notes, game recaps and media guides are constantly Mississippi State Athletics updated online. Printing Gerald Printing @WKUBasketball 3 Media Information Zach Greenwell DIRECTIONS TO WKU Associate Director/Media Relations FROM I-65 NORTH (HEADING SOUTH): Take the first Men’s Basketball Primary Contact Bowling Green exit (exit 28) onto US 31-W. Follow the (270) 745-5045 (Office) signs for US 31-W South – Bowling Green. Stay on the (270) 668-4716 (Cell) four-lane US 31-W South (Louisville Road) to the stop [email protected] light at the bridge over Barren River.