2020–21 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 2020–21 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by head coach Rick Stansbury in his fifth season and played their home games at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky as seventh-year members of Conference USA. The team finished the season in first place in the C-USA East Division and with the best conference record overall at 18-6 . They defeated UTSA and UAB to advance to the finals where they lost to North Texas. They received a bid to the 2021 National Invitation Tournament where they defeated Saint Mary’s in the First Round before losing to fellow conference member Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinals. Center Charles Bassey was named the Conference USA Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year. Taveion Hollingsworth joined Bassey on the All-Conference Team, while Josh Anderson joined him on C-USA’s All-Defensive Team, and Dayvion McKnight made the All-Freshman Team.

2020–21 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
C-USA regular season champions C-USA East division champions
NIT, Quarterfinals
Conference	Conference USA
Division	East Division
Record	21–8 (11–3 C-USA)
Head coach	Rick Stansbury (5th season)
Assistant coaches	Hennssy Auriantal Phil Cunningham Marcus Grant
Home arena	E. A. Diddle Arena

2020–21 Conference USA men's basketball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
East
Western Kentucky	11	–	3		.786			21	–	8		.724
Old Dominion	11	–	5		.688			15	–	8		.652
Marshall	9	–	5		.643			15	–	7		.682
Florida Atlantic	7	–	5		.583			13	–	10		.565
Charlotte	5	–	11		.313			9	–	15		.375
Middle Tennessee	3	–	13		.188			5	–	18		.217
FIU	2	–	15		.118			9	–	17		.346
West
Louisiana Tech	12	–	4		.750			24	–	8		.750
UAB	13	–	5		.722			22	–	7		.759
North Texas †	9	–	5		.643			18	–	10		.643
UTSA	9	–	7		.563			15	–	11		.577
UTEP	8	–	8		.500			12	–	12		.500
Rice	6	–	10		.375			15	–	13		.536
Southern Miss	4	–	13		.235			8	–	17		.320
† 2021 C-USA Tournament winner

Previous season

The Hilltoppers finished the 2019–20 season with 20–10, 13–5 in C-USA play to finish in second place. The 2020 Conference USA men's basketball tournament, and the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roster

2020–21 WKU Hilltoppers men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown G 1 Kylen Milton 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Conway HS Core4 Academy Monticello, AR F 2 Kevin Osawe 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jr Central Technical School Vincennes Toronto, Ontario, Canada G 3 Jordan Rawls 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) So Hamilton Heights Christian Academy Chattanooga, TN G 4 Josh Anderson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Sr Madison Preparatory Academy Baton Rouge, LA G 5 Noah Stansbury 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Fr Greenwood HS Bowling Green, KY G 11 Taveion Hollingsworth 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Sr Paul Laurence Dunbar HS Lexington, KY G 12 Jackson Harlan 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So Clinton County HS Albany, KY G 14 Luke Frampton 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Jr Poca HS Davidson Poca, WV G 15 Patrick Murphy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) RS Sr Independence HS Martin Methodist Franklin, TN G 20 Dayvion McKnight 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Collins HS Shelvyville, KY G 21 Kenny Cooper 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) RS Sr Franklin Road Academy Lipscomb Nashville, TN F 22 Carson Williams 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 240 lb (109 kg) RS Sr Owen County HS Northern Kentucky Owenton, KY C 23 Charles Bassey 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Jr St. Anthony Catholic HS Aspire Academy Lagos, Nigeria F 32 Bailey Conrad 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Fr Christian Academy of Indiana Corydon, IN F 50 Isaiah Cozart 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) So Madison Central HS Richmond, KY	Head coach Rick Stansbury (Campbellsville) Assistant coach(es) Hennssy Auriantal (Wisconsin) Phil Cunningham (Campbellsville) Marcus Grant (Mississippi State) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster Last update: January 31, 2021

Schedule

Date time, TV	Rank#	Opponent#	Result	Record	High points	High rebounds	High assists	Site (attendance) city, state
Regular season
November 25, 2020* 3:30 p.m., ESPNU		vs. Northern Iowa Crossover Classic quarterfinals	W 93–87	1–0	26 – Hollingsworth	8 – Bassey	3 – McKnight	Sanford Pentagon (0) Sioux Falls, SD
November 26, 2020* 11:00 a.m., ESPN		vs. Memphis Crossover Classic semifinals	W 75–69	2–0	21 – Bassey	14 – Bassey	4 – Cooper	Sanford Pentagon (0) Sioux Falls, SD
November 27, 2020* 12:30 p.m., ESPN		vs. No. 15 West Virginia Crossover Classic championship	L 64–70	2–1	15 – Bassey	8 – Bassey	3 – Hollingsworth	Sanford Pentagon (0) Sioux Falls, SD
December 1, 2020* 5:00 p.m., ACCN		at No. 24 Louisville Wade Houston Tip-Off Classic	L 54–75	2–2	19 – Hollingsworth	15 – Bassey	3 – McKnight	KFC Yum! Center (3,013) Louisville, KY
December 6, 2020* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+		Mississippi Valley State	W 96–69	3–2	16 – Hollingsworth	11 – Bassey	7 – McKnight	Diddle Arena (1,009) Bowling Green, KY
December 10, 2020* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Gardner–Webb	W 86–84	4–2	29 – Bassey	14 – Bassey	7 – Cooper	Diddle Arena (1,009) Bowling Green, KY
December 13, 2020* 11:00 a.m., CBSSN		Rhode Island	W 68–65	5–2	15 – Anderson	9 – Bassey	7 – Hollingsworth	Diddle Arena (1,070) Bowling Green, KY
December 19, 2020* 1:00 p.m., SECN		at Alabama	W 73–71	6–2	27 – Bassey	12 – Bassey	6 – McKnight	Coleman Coliseum (2,025) Tuscaloosa, AL
December 22, 2020* 6:00 p.m., ESPNU		Tennessee Tech	W 88–68	7–2	22 – Frampton	7 – Hollingsworth	4 – Anderson,Cooper,McKnight	Diddle Arena  Bowling Green, KY
January 1, 2021 3:30 p.m., FS South		at Charlotte	W 67–63	8–2 (1–0)	14 – Hollingsworth	12 – Bassey	6 – McKnight	Dale F. Halton Arena  Charlotte, North Carolina
January 2, 2021 3:30 p.m., Stadium		at Charlotte	L 71–75 OT	8–3 (1–1)	23 – Hollingsworth	8 – Bassey	3 – Hollingsworth,Cooper	Dale F. Halton Arena  Charlotte, NC
January 8, 2021 7:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook		Louisiana Tech	W 66–64	9–3 (2–1)	24 – Bassey	12 – Bassey	4 – Rawls	Diddle Arena (1,102) Bowling Green, KY
January 9, 2021 6:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook		Louisiana Tech	L 58–63	9–4 (2–2)	16 – Hollingsworth	13 – Bassey	6 – McKnight	Diddle Arena (1,123) Bowling Green, KY
January 14, 2021 6:00 p.m., CBSSN		Marshall	W 81–73	10–4 (3–2)	22 – Anderson	19 – Bassey	4 – Hollingsworth	Diddle Arena (1,117) Bowling Green, KY
January 17, 2021 2:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook		at Marshall	W 69–67	11–4 (4–2)	24 – Bassey	9 – Bassey	2 – Williams,McKnight,Cooper	Cam Henderson Center (1,274) Huntington, West Virginia
January 23, 2021 4:00 p.m., ESPN+		at Middle Tennessee	W 82–67	12–4 (5–2)	16 – Bassey	12 – Bassey	4 – McKnight	Murphy Center  Murfreesboro, Tennessee
January 24, 2021 1:00 p.m., CBSSN		at Middle Tennessee	W 68–52	13–4 (6–2)	23 – Bassey	14 – Bassey	3 – Anderson	Murphy Center  Murfreesboro, Tennessee
January 29, 2021 7:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook		Old Dominion	Postponed					Diddle Arena  Bowling Green, KY
January 30, 2021 4:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook		Old Dominion	Postponed					Diddle Arena  Bowling Green, KY
February 5, 2021 6:00 p.m., ESPN+		at FAU	Postponed					FAU Arena  Boca Raton, FL
February 6, 2021 3:00 p.m., ESPN+		at FAU	Postponed					FAU Arena  Boca Raton, FL
February 12, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+		Rice	W 77–71	14–4 (7–2)	18 – Bassey	12 – Bassey	9 – McKnight	Diddle Arena  Bowling Green, KY
February 13, 2021 7:00 p.m., CBSSN		Rice	W 89–66	15–4 (8–2)	21 – Bassey	7 – Williams	9 – McKnight	Diddle Arena  Bowling Green, KY
February 20, 2021 4:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook		at North Texas	Postponed					UNT Coliseum  Denton, TX
February 21, 2021 1:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook		at North Texas	Postponed					UNT Coliseum  Denton, TX
February 25, 2021* 6:00 p.m., ESPN2		at No. 12 Houston	L 57–81	15–5	17 – Hollingsworth	7 – Bassey	4 – McKnight	Fertitta Center  Houston, TX
February 28, 2021 2:00 p.m., ESPN+		FIU	W 91–58	16–5 (9–2)	21 – Williams	14 – Bassey	5 – Rawls	Diddle Arena  Bowling Green, KY
March 1, 2021 12:00 p.m., ESPN+		FIU	W 71–59	17–5 (10–2)	22 – Bassey	15 – Bassey	6 – McKnight	Diddle Arena  Bowling Green, KY
March 5, 2021 7:00 p.m.		Old Dominion	L 69–71	17–6 (10–3)	23 – Bassey	15 – Bassey	5 – Hollingsworth,McKnight	Diddle Arena (1,275) Bowling Green, KY
March 6, 2021 4:00 p.m.		Old Dominion	W 60–57	18–6 (11–3)	19 – Hollingsworth	9 – Bassey	3 – Rawls	Diddle Arena (1,286) Bowling Green, KY
CUSA conference tournament
March 11, 2021 5:30 p.m., Stadium	(E1)	vs. (W4) UTSA Quarterfinals	W 80–67	19–6	21 – Bassey	9 – Bassey,Williams	4 – McKnight	Ford Center at The Star  Frisco, Texas
March 12, 2021 12:00 p.m., CBSSN	(E1)	vs. (W2) UAB Semifinals	W 64–60	20–6	22 – Bassey	7 – Bassey	9 – McKnight	Ford Center at The Star  Frisco, Texas
March 13, 2021 9:00 p.m., CBSSN	(E1)	vs. (W3) North Texas Championship	L 57–61 OT	20–7	14 – Anderson	11 – Bassey	3 – Hollingsworth	Ford Center at The Star  Frisco, Texas
NIT
March 17, 2021 8:00 pm, ESPN2	(3)	vs. (2) Saint Mary's First Round – Ole Miss bracket	W 69–67	21–7	21 – Hollingsworth	11 – Bassey	7 – Rawls	Comerica Center  Frisco, TX
March 25, 2021 8:00 pm, ESPN2	(3)	vs. (4) Louisiana Tech Quarterfinals	L 65–72	21–8	20 – Rawls	16 – Bassey	8 – Rawls	Comerica Center (737) Frisco, TX
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Time.