2015–16 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
ConferenceConference USA
Record18–16 (8–10 C-USA)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • David Boyden
  • Shawn Forrest
  • Chris Shumate
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
2015–16 Conference USA men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
UAB162 .889267  .788
Middle Tennessee135 .7222510  .714
Marshall126 .6671716  .515
Louisiana Tech126 .6672310  .697
Old Dominion126 .6672513  .658
UTEP108 .5561914  .576
Charlotte99 .5001419  .424
Western Kentucky810 .4441816  .529
North Texas711 .3891220  .375
Rice711 .3891220  .375
FIU711 .3891319  .406
Florida Atlantic513 .278825  .242
Southern Miss*513 .278821  .276
UTSA315 .167527  .156
*Ineligible for postseason play due to self-imposed postseason ban.
2016 C-USA Tournament winner

The 2015–16 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by head coach Ray Harper in his fourth season. They played their home games at E. A. Diddle Arena and were second year members of Conference USA. They finished the season 18–16, 8–10 in C-USA play to finish in eighth place. They defeated North Texas and UAB to advance to the semifinals of the C-USA tournament where they lost to Old Dominion. Despite having 18 wins and a better they .500 record, they did not participate in a postseason tournament.[1]

On March 17, 2016, head coach Ray Harper resigned after three players were suspended by a university disciplinary committee.[2][3][4] He finished at WKU with a record of 90–62. On March 28, the school hired Rick Stansbury as head coach.[5]

Previous season

The Hilltoppers finished the season 20–12, 13–5 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for the second place. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the C-USA tournament where they lost to UAB. Despite having 20 wins they didn't play in a postseason tournament.

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownNotes
Ayinde Sprewell0G6'3"188JuniorOrlando, FLGraduate transferred to St. Thomas
Kevin Kaspar1G6'0"173SeniorIstanbul, TurkeyGraduated
Derrick Clayton2G6'6"184FreshmanCastro Valley, CATransferred to Palm Beach State College
Trency Jackson3G6'2"188RS SeniorJackson, MSGraduated
Brandon Price5G5'9"151SophomoreRadcliff, KYTransferred to Georgia Southwestern
Jordan Green10F6'7"193FreshmanLexington, KYTransferred to Coppin State
Avery Patterson15G6'0"190FreshmanDecatur, GATransferred to Columbia State Community College
Rob Marberry33F6'8"230FreshmanNashville, TNWalk-on; transferred to Lipscomb
George Fant44F6'6"250SeniorBowling Green, KYGraduated
T. J. Price52G6'4"223SeniorSlidell, LAGraduated

Incoming transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Aaron Cosby2G6'3"205RS SeniorLouisville, KYTransferred from Illinois. Cosby will be eligible to play immediately since Cosby graduated from Illinois.
Phabian Glasco13F6'7"225JuniorTulsa, OKJunior college transferred from Connors State College
Willie Carmichael III24F6'8"210SophomoreApopka, FLTransferred from Tennessee. Under NCAA transfer rules, Carmichael III will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have three years of remaining eligibility.
Frederick Edmond25G6'4"190JuniorLansing, MIJunior college transferred from College of Southern Idaho
Anton Waters42F6'6"205JuniorBaltimore, MDJunior college transferred from Gulf Coast State College

Class of 2015 recruits

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Chris McNeal
PG
Memphis, TN South Side High School 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Jul 7, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Marlon Hunter Jr.
SG
Memphis, TN Houston High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Nov 6, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Kristaps Gluditis
PG
Riga, Latvia Get Better Academy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Apr 28, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Nathan Smith
C
London, England Get Better Academy 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 220 lb (100 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: 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:

  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 30, 2015.

Roster

2015–16 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearHometown
G 1 Chris McNeal 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)195 lb (88 kg) Fr Jackson, Tennessee
G 2 Aaron Cosby 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)200 lb (91 kg) RS Sr Louisville, Kentucky
G 3 Marlon Hunter 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)195 lb (88 kg) Fr Memphis, Tennessee
F 13 Phabian Glasco 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)230 lb (104 kg) Jr Tulsa, Oklahoma
F 14 Benjamin Lawson 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)230 lb (104 kg) Jr Hitchin, England
G 15 Dylan Sanford (W) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)180 lb (82 kg) Fr Owensboro, Kentucky
C 20 Aleksej Rostov 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)240 lb (109 kg) Sr Riga, Latvia
F 21 Nigel Snipes 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)220 lb (100 kg) RS Sr Marietta, Georgia
C 22 Nathan Smith 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)240 lb (109 kg) Fr London, England
F 23 Justin Johnson 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)235 lb (107 kg) So Hazard, Kentucky
F 24 Willie Carmichael (I) Current redshirt 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)210 lb (95 kg) So Apopka, Florida
G 25 Fredrick Edmond 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)205 lb (93 kg) Jr Lansing, Michigan
G 32 Keifer Dalton (W) 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)165 lb (75 kg) Fr Albany, Kentucky
F 42 Anton Waters 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)245 lb (111 kg) Jr Baltimore, Maryland
G 51 Chris Harrison-Docks 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)175 lb (79 kg) RS Jr Okemos, Michigan
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule

[6]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/02/2015*
7:00 pm
Lindsey Wilson W 84–71 
E. A. Diddle Arena (2,881)
Bowling Green, KY
11/06/2015*
7:00 pm
Kentucky Wesleyan W 75–68 
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,207)
Bowling Green, KY
Non-conference regular season
11/14/2015*
7:00 pm
Campbellsville
Gulf Coast Showcase Opening Round
W 97–77  1–0
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,424)
Bowling Green, KY
11/18/2015*
6:00 pm, ASN
at Belmont L 85–90  1–1
Curb Event Center (3,253)
Nashville, TN
11/21/2015*
12:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Stony Brook W 67–66  2–1
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,684)
Bowling Green, KY
11/23/2015*
5:00 pm
vs. Drake
Gulf Coast Showcase quarterfinals
L 79–81 OT 2–2
Germain Arena (523)
Estero, FL
11/24/2015*
1:30 pm
vs. Central Michigan
Gulf Coast Showcase consolation round
W 88–60  3–2
Germain Arena (823)
Estero, FL
11/25/2015*
2:30 pm
vs. Duquesne
Gulf Coast Showcase 5th place game
L 73–81  3–3
Germain Arena (1,077)
Estero, FL
12/01/2015*
7:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Eastern Kentucky W 86–84  4–3
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,026)
Bowling Green, KY
12/05/2015*
7:30 pm, FS1
at No. 12 Xavier L 64–95  4–4
Cintas Center (10,250)
Cincinnati, OH
12/13/2015*
2:00 pm, ASN
Indiana State W 75–62  5–4
E. A. Diddle Arena (2,810)
Bowling Green, KY
12/16/2015*
8:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Alabama A&M W 79–70  6–4
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,109)
Bowling Green, KY
12/19/2015*
11:00 am, ESPNU
at No. 19 Louisville L 56–78  6–5
KFC Yum! Center (21,606)
Louisville, KY
12/22/2015*
8:00 pm, ASN
Detroit W 79–74  7–5
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,031)
Bowling Green, KY
12/28/2015*
7:00 pm
Brescia W 93–66  8–5
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,388)
Bowling Green, KY
Conference USA regular season
01/03/2016
12:00 pm, ASN
at Marshall L 76–94  8–6
(0–1)
Cam Henderson Center (4,623)
Huntington, WV
01/07/2016
7:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
FIU L 72–75  8–7
(0–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,394)
Bowling Green, KY
01/09/2016
2:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Florida Atlantic W 86–82 OT 9–7
(1–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,607)
Bowling Green, KY
01/14/2016
7:00 pm, ASN
at Rice L 73–83  9–8
(1–3)
Tudor Fieldhouse (1,664)
Houston, TX
01/16/2016
7:00 pm
at North Texas W 81–76  10–8
(2–3)
The Super Pit (1,903)
Denton, TX
01/21/2016
6:00 pm, ASN
at Old Dominion L 62–68  10–9
(2–4)
Ted Constant Convocation Center (6,535)
Norfolk, VA
01/23/2016
6:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
at Charlotte L 71–88  10–10
(2–5)
Dale F. Halton Arena (4,197)
Charlotte, NC
01/28/2016
6:30 pm, FS1
UAB W 69–62  11–10
(3–5)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,892)
Bowling Green, KY
01/30/2016
7:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Middle Tennessee L 64–66  11–11
(3–6)
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,259)
Bowling Green, KY
02/04/2016
7:00 pm
at UTSA W 83–71  12–11
(4–6)
Convocation Center (1,003)
San Antonio, TX
02/06/2016
4:00 pm, FS1
at UTEP L 89–93 OT 12–12
(4–7)
Don Haskins Center (12,000)
El Paso, TX
02/13/2016
7:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Marshall L 93–96 OT 12–13
(4–8)
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,373)
Bowling Green, KY
02/18/2016
7:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Old Dominion L 56–59  12–14
(4–9)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,182)
Bowling Green, KY
02/20/2016
2:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Charlotte W 59–54  13–14
(5–9)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,570)
Bowling Green, KY
02/25/2016
6:00 pm, ASN
at Middle Tennessee W 78–72  14–14
(6–9)
Murphy Center (4,333)
Murfreesboro, TN
02/27/2016
11:00 am, FSN
at UAB L 67–71  14–15
(6–10)
Bartow Arena (7,510)
Birmingham, AL
03/03/2016
8:00 pm, ASN
Southern Miss W 75–60  15–15
(7–10)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,405)
Bowling Green, KY
03/05/2016
7:00 pm, FCS/WKYU
Louisiana Tech W 96–90 OT 16–15
(8–10)
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,591)
Bowling Green, KY
Conference USA Tournament
03/09/2016
12:00 pm, ASN
(8) vs. (9) North Texas
Second round
W 84–76  17–15
Legacy Arena (3,888)
Birmingham, AL
03/10/2016
12:00 pm, ASN
(8) vs. (1) UAB
Quarterfinals
W 88–77  18–15
Legacy Arena (9,797)
Birmingham, AL
03/11/2016
3:00 pm, CBSSN
(8) vs. (5) Old Dominion
Semifinals
L 77–89  18–16
Legacy Arena (6,176)
Birmingham, AL
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

See also

References

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