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LOCATION: Bowling Green, KY
CONFERENCE: Sun Belt
LAST SEASON: 13-16 (.448)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-7 (t-3rd)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 2/3
NICKNAME: Hilltoppers
COLORS: Red & White
HOMECOURT: Diddle Arena (11,300)
COACH: Dennis Felton (Howard '85)
record at school 13-16 (1 year)
career record 13-16 (1 year)
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ASSISTANTS: Pete Hermann (SUNY-Geneseo '70)
Ken McDonald (Providence '92)
Kevin Baggett (St. Joseph's '89)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 27-13-12-10-13
RPI (last 5 years) 25-129-176-209-149
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference final.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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By Western Kentucky standards, the 13-16 record of last season was sub-par. But keep it in the context of what was expected of the tradition-rich Hilltoppers. Many prognosticators forecasted WKU to dwell near or at the bottom of the Sun Belt Conference in Dennis Felton's first season as head coach. But the Hilltoppers became the surprise team of the league, finishing in a tie for third in the regular-season standings before reaching the Sun Belt Tournament title game. Felton has righted the ship at Western Kentucky, a proud program that ranks nationally in several categories, including 17th in wins (1,370), seventh in 20-win seasons (31), and ninth in winning percentage (.672) and wins per season (17.34). A surge back to the top of the league standings is expected this season, especially with five key players returning and an influx of a recruiting class judged by HoopScoop to be 26th best in the country. "We're right where we planned on being," Felton said of the program's progress. "I couldn't be happier that things are going according to plan. We have had a high rate of success at accomplishing our goals." One of those was getting the Hilltoppers to believe they can not only win games, but are expected to contend for the postseason a place WKU had become a regular visitor in the late '80s and early-to mid-'90s.
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B BENCH/DEPTH C+
FRONTCOURT C+ INTANGIBLES C+
In his first season, coach Dennis Felton brought a tougher attitude to the Hilltoppers. It was visible in several areas, but most noticeably on defense. WKU posted its best stats in scoring defense (66.4 ppg) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (.323) since the three-pointer was instituted 12 years ago. The talent level was upgraded dramatically with a solid recruiting class. But then again, Felton had earned his college coaching stripes as a tireless and effective recruiter and budding young coach under current Texas coach Rick Barnes when the two were together at Providence and Clemson. The most noticeable improvement came in the paint, where the Hilltoppers went from an average height of just under 6-4 to just over 6-6. The new WKU roster features five players as tall or taller than the tallest man on last year's roster. Felton also has to learn some Bulgarian two key newcomers hail from there. It appears that Western Kentucky is quickly returning to its former status of consistent postseason contender. And that has much to do with the hard work and coaching smarts of Felton. That is usually the rub at Western. If a young coach like Felton is getting the job done at Western, that usually makes him attractive to other schools. Past coaches who had success at WKU and landed other jobs because of it were Gene Keady (Purdue), Clem Haskins (Minnesota) and Ralph Willard (Pittsburgh). Even the lesser successful coaches at WKU Matt Kilcullen (North Florida) and Murray Arnold (Stetson) are still solid in the business. |
"The veterans are behaving more like champions," Felton said. "I was satisfied with the level of performance last year even before we made it to the conference championship game. The players did everything we expected of them. We have set the table for more success." As sure as he is about the progress, Felton admits to being just as unsure as to who will be doing what this season. Sure, he knows what three returning starters and two key reserves from last season can do. But where that heralded recruiting class fits in is another story. "I really have no idea," Felton said of the starting five and player rotation. "I have a lot of respect for all of our players. I like our returning players, and I am very excited about every one of our new players. "It will make for some very interesting practices. It is going to be a challenge for every player on the team to work themselves into those roles." Western Kentucky returns a talented guard tandem. In 6-1 sophomore Derek Robinson (6.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 40 assists), WKU returns as the league's freshman of the year. Robinson was the first Hilltopper to win that award in the school's 18 years in the league. He's a talented player with solid shooting range, but he also has slashing ability to break players down off the dribble. "Derek is really starting to develop a scorer's mentality as well as being a coach on the floor," Felton said of Robinson, who shot .352 percent from three-point range last year. While Robinson might have point-guard mentalities mixed with shooting-guard notions, there is little doubt concerning 6-1 junior Rashon Brown (7.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg), the returning point guard who led the team in assists (75), steals (46) and minutes played per game (30). "Rashon got a great deal of experience at the point," Felton said. "His play and leadership needs to improve, and I believe it will. He made great strides last year." Even with Brown returning, playing time could be divided out front depending upon the emergence of two freshman newcomers 6-4 Filip Vedenov (Washington College Academy/Johnson City, Tenn.) and 6-0 Raynardo Curry (East HS/Memphis, Tenn.). Vedenov is a native of Bulgaria who fit in well at Washington College, where he averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists last season. Curry was schooled in the competitive Memphis prep scene at East High, where he notched 21.0 points, 6.0 assists and 4.0 steals. WKU has a true swing player in 6-4 junior Nashon McPherson (9.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg), the team's top returning scorer and three-point shooter (40). He is most suited for the two-guard job, but can slide to small forward when Brown and Robinson are on the floor. "Nashon is a terrific shooter and solid scorer," Felton said, "and he has really worked hard to attack some of the weaknesses in his game, like ball handling and being emotionally stable on the court." Pushing for playing time at small forward is recruiting gem Jimmy Boykin (Murrah HS/Jackson, Miss.). At 6-6, the athletic Boykin had 35 dunks last season while averaging 17.8 points and 10.5 rebounds and shooting .590 percent from the field and .780 percent from the free-throw line. Returning at power forward is 6-6, 210-pound Lee Lampley (6.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg), the only senior on the team. He's a solid rebounder, but has been asked by Felton to improve his perimeter skills to increase versatility along the front line. "We want Lee to be a combination player," Felton said, "and he has worked hard in that area to increase some of those doubts about playing him away from the basket." Lampley will be asked to man the post on occasion, although the Hilltopppers have five other players who can rotate among the two inside slots. Most notable will be 6-11 sophomore Brian Allenspach, who sat out last season after transferring from Davidson (which went to the NCAA Tournament his freshman season). Allenspach is a product of Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) High School, where he averaged 15.0 points and 10.0 rebounds as a senior. Last summer he was a member of the USA One World Select Team that won the Nea Moudania Tournament in Greece. Another key newcomer down low is 7-1 sophomore Chris Marcus, who redshirted last season while working on academics. A developing project, Marcus played just one season of basketball at Charlotte (N.C.) Olympic High School, but still was selected to the Charlotte Area All-Star Team after averaging 8.0 points and 9.0 rebounds. Three other freshmen 6-9 Todor Pandov (Washington College Academy/Johnson City, Tenn.), 6-8 David Boyden (Fork Union Military Academy/Fork Union, Va.) and 6-8 Nate Williams (Ravenscroft HS/Raleigh, N.C.) will see playing time, but are considered the nucleus of a bright future. Like Vedenov, Pandov hails from Bulgaria and prepped at Washington College Academy, where he averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds despite missing much of last season with a lacerated kidney. After starring at Richmond (Va.) Hermitage High School, where he averaged 17.0 points and 12.0 rebounds as a senior, Boyden played last season at Fork Union and notched 9.0 points and 7.0 boards per game. Williams, a true power forward, averaged 17.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks en route to being chosen all-state. He set his high school records for career points, rebounds and blocked shots.
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