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 .[1] 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.[2] 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.[3]

2020–21 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
C-USA regular season champions
C-USA East division champions
NIT, Quarterfinals
ConferenceConference USA
DivisionEast Division
Record21–8 (11–3 C-USA)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
Seasons
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

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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

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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
Assistant coach(es)

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

Roster
Last update: January 31, 2021

Schedule

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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 [a][4] UNT Coliseum 
Denton, TX
February 21, 2021
1:00 p.m., CBSSN on Facebook
at North Texas Postponed [a][4] 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.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Game was postponed due to weather concerns.

References

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  1. ^ Tops finish regular season atop C-USA with win over Old Dominion, Bowling Green Daily News retrieved March 7, 2021
  2. ^ "MBB: Superlative Awards Announced" (Press release). Conference USA. March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  3. ^ Four Hilltoppers receive All-Conference USA honors, Bowling Green Daily News retrieved March 11, 2021
  4. ^ a b Vito, Brett (February 18, 2021). "North Texas-Western Kentucky basketball series postponed indefinitely". Denton Record-Chronicle. Retrieved February 18, 2021.