2008–09 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 2008–09 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by first year head coach Ken McDonald and team captain Orlando Mendez-Valdez. They played their home games at E. A. Diddle Arena and were members of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 25–9 and 15–3 in Sun Belt Play to finish first in the East Division.[1] One of the highlights of the season was a victory over in-state rival, 3rd ranked Louisville. The Hilltoppers won the Sun Belt Basketball tournament and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.[2] They defeated Illinois in the first round before falling tenth ranked Gonzaga. Mendez-Valdez was SBC Player of the year and was joined by A.J. Slaughter on the All SBC team. Slaughter was SBC Tournament Most Valuable Player and was joined on the All-Tournament team by Mendaz-Valdez and Sergio Kerusch.[3]

2008–09 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
Sun Belt Conference tournament Champion
Sun Belt Conference East Division Champion
NCAA Tournament, second round
ConferenceSun Belt Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record25–9 (15–3 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Assistant coachRay Harper
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
2008–09 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
East
Western Kentucky153 .833259  .735
Troy144 .7781913  .594
Middle Tennessee108 .5561814  .563
South Alabama108 .5562013  .606
Florida International711 .3891320  .394
Florida Atlantic216 .111626  .188
West
Arkansas-Little Rock153 .833238  .742
North Texas117 .6112012  .625
Denver99 .5001516  .484
Louisiana–Lafayette711 .3891020  .333
Louisiana–Monroe612 .3331020  .333
New Orleans612 .3331119  .367
Arkansas State513 .2781317  .433
2009 Sun Belt Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

[4]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
Regular Season
11/15/2008*
at Houston L 64–73  0–1
Hofheinz Pavilion (3,217)
Houston, TX
11/18/2008*
Campbellsville W 62–48  1–1
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,528)
Bowling Green, KY
11/22/2008*
at Murray State L 61–89  1–2
CFSB Center (7,038)
Murray, KY
11/26/2008*
Southern Illinois W 79–70  2–2
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,948)
Bowling Green, KY
11/30/2008*
vs. No. 3 Louisville W 68–54  3–2
Sommet Center (8,193)
Nashville, TN
12/2/2008*
Georgia W 67–63  4–2
E. A. Diddle Arena (7,086)
Bowling Green, KY
12/6/2008*
at Tulane W 82–67  5–2
Devlin Fieldhouse (1,455)
New Orleans, LA
12/13/2008*
at Evansville L 40–72  5–3
Roberts Municipal Stadium (7,746)
Evansville, IN
12/18/2008
at South Alabama W 69–66  6–3 (1–0)
Mitchell Center (4,360)
Mobile, AL
12/21/2008*
Alabama A&M W 83–60  7–3
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,083)
Bowling Green, KY
12/28/2008*
vs. Florida State
MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic
L 69–82  7–4
BankAtlantic Center (9,045)
Sunrise, FL
1/1/2009
Troy W 99–76  8–4 (2–0)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,778)
Bowling Green, KY
1/3/2009
Arkansas–Little Rock W 79–47  9–4 (3–0)
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,538)
Bowling Green, KY
1/5/2009*
at Mississippi State L 67–95  9–5
Humphrey Coliseum (7,674)
Starkville, MS
1/8/2009
at FIU L 79–81  9–6 (3–1)
Ocean Bank Convocation Center (609)
University Park, FL
1/10/2009
at Florida Atlantic W 78–57  10–6 (4–1)
FAU Arena (1,165)
Boca Raton, FL
01/15/2009
Middle Tennessee W 63–61  11–6 (5–1)
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,142)
Bowling Green, KY
01/17/2009
New Orleans W 70–60  12–6 (6–1)
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,042)
Bowling Green, KY
01/22/2009
Louisiana–Lafayette W 73–68  13–6 (7–1)
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,814)
Bowling Green, KY
01/24/2009
at Denver L 74–78  13–7 (7–2)
Magness Arena (3,550)
Denver, CO
01/31/2009
North Texas W 71–67  14–7 (8–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,689)
Bowling Green, KY
02/2/2009
at Arkansas State W 68–63  15–7 (9–2)
Convocation Center (5,091)
Jonesboro, AR
02/5/2009
at ULM W 64–55  16–7 (10–2)
Fant–Ewing Coliseum (847)
Monroe, LA
02/07/2009
South Alabama W 67–59  17–7 (11–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (6,613)
Bowling Green, KY
02/14/2009
at Troy L 82–87  17–8 (11–3)
Sartain Hall (2,204)
Troy, AL
2/19/2009
at Arkansas–Little Rock W 78–69  18–8 (12–3)
Jack Stephens Center (5,012)
Little Rock, AR
02/21/2009
FIU W 79–66  19–8 (13–3)
E. A. Diddle Arena (7,117)
Bowling Green, KY
02/26/2009
Florida Atlantic W 87–67  20–8 (14–3)
E. A. Diddle Arena (6,413)
Bowling Green, KY
02/28/2009
at Middle Tennessee W 68–49  21–8 (15–3)
Murphy Center (5,128)
Murfreesboro, TN
2009 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament
03/08/2009
(1) vs. (9) FIU
Second Round
W 66–48  22–8
Summit Arena (1,000)
Hot Springs, AR
03/09/2009
(1) vs. (4) North Texas
Semifinals
W 77–70  23–8
Summit Arena (3,504)
Hot Springs, AR
03/10/2009
(1) vs. (6) South Alabama
Championship Game
W 64–56  24–8
Summit Arena (3,493)
Hot Springs, AR
2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
03/19/2009*
(12 S) vs. (5 S) Illinois
First Round
W 76–72  25–8
Rose Garden Arena (17,169)
Portland, OR
03/21/2009*
(12 S) vs. (4 S) No. 10 Gonzaga
Second Round
L 81–83  25–9
Rose Garden Arena (18,794)
Portland, OR
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll (S) during NCAA Tournament is seed with Region. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

[5]

References


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