1985–86 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

1985–86 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
Wendy's Classic Champion
NCAA Tournament, Second Round
ConferenceSun Belt Conference
Record23–8 (10–4 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Assistant coachDavid Farrar
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
Seasons
1985–86 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Old Dominion 11 – 3   .786 23 – 8   .742
Western Kentucky 10 – 4   .714 23 – 8   .742
UAB 9 – 5   .643 25 – 11   .694
Jacksonville † 9 – 5   .643 21 – 10   .677
VCU 6 – 8   .429 12 – 16   .429
South Alabama 5 – 9   .357 16 – 16   .500
South Florida 5 – 9   .357 14 – 14   .500
UNC Charlotte 1 – 13   .071 8 – 20   .286
† 1986 Sun Belt Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll


The 1985–86 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year Clem Haskins, in his final year at the helm.[1] WKU finished second in the conference and received a bid to the 1986 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.[2] This team's roster featured three future NBA players Tellis Frank, Kannard Johnson, and Clarence Martin.[3][4] Billy Gordon, Johnson, and Martin were selected to the All-Conference Team, while Ray Swogger made the SBC All-Tournament Team.[5]

Schedule

[6]

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
Regular Season
11/23/1985*
 Samford W 80–47  1–0
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
11/27/1985*
 Cincinnati W 69–58  2–0
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/2/1985*
 Southern Illinois W 77–67  3–0
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/6/1985*
 Chaminade
Wendy’s Classic 		W 101–75  4–0
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/7/1985*
 No. 19 Auburn
Wendy’s Classic 		W 71–58  5–0
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/9/1985*
 Middle Tennessee W 86–74  6–0
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
11/29/1986*
 Columbus College W 87–61  7–0
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/14/1985*
 at No. 15 Louisville L 70–73  7–1
 Freedom Hall 
Louisville, KY
12/21/1985*
 at Morehead State W 75–68  8–1
 Ellis Johnson Arena 
Morehead, KY
12/28/1985
 ODU L 59–62  8–2 (0-1)
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/4/1986*
 at No. 20 Virginia Tech L 71–85  8–3
 Cassell Coliseum 
Blacksburg, VA
1/6/1986*
 Murray State W 80–58  9–3
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/11/1986
 at South Florida W 57–45  10–3 (1-1)
 USF Sun Dome 
Tampa, FL
1/13/1986*
 at Tennessee State W 69–58  11–3
 Gentry Complex 
Nashville, TN
1/16/1986
 at No. 12 UAB W 75–72 OT 12–3 (2-1)
 Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex 
Birmingham, AL
1/20/1986
 VCU W 62–60  13–3 (3-1)
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/22/1986*
 Dayton W 64–62  14–3
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/25/1986
 No. 18 UAB W 81–75  15–3 (4-1)
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/30/1986
 at UNCC W 78–67  16–3 (5-1)
 Belk Gymnasium 
Charlotte, NC
2/1/1986
 South Alabama W 68–52  17–3 (6-1)
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/3/1986
 Jacksonville W 51–46  18–3 (7-1)
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/6/1986
 No. 19 at ODU L 61–74  18–4 (7-2)
 Norfolk Scope 
Norfolk, VA
2/8/1986
 No. 19 UNCC W 78–68  19–4 (8-2)
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/10/1986
 No. 19 at Jacksonville L 65–70  19–5 (8-3)
 Swisher Gymnasium 
Jacksonville, FL
2/13/1986
 South Florida W 77–57  20–5 (9-3)
 E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/17/1986
 at South Alabama W 53–51  21–5 (10-3)
 Mitchell Center 
Mobile, AL
2/22/1986
 at VCU L 56–60  21–6 (10-4)
 Richmond Coliseum 
Richmond, VA
1986 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament
2/27/1986
 (2) vs. (7) South Florida
Quarterfinals 		W 57–46  22–6
 Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex 
Birmingham, AL
2/28/1986
 (2) at (3) UAB
Semifinals 		L 45–57  22–7
 Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex 
Birmingham, AL
1986 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
3/14/1986*
 (8 SE) vs. (9 SE) Nebraska
First Round 		W 67–59  23–7
 Charlotte Coliseum 
Charlotte, NC
3/16/1986*
 (8 SE) vs. (1 SE) No. 3 Kentucky
Second Round 		L 64–71  23–8
 Charlotte Coliseum 
Charlotte, NC
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll (S#) during Tournament is seed. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

Awards and honors

  • Clem Haskins – Sun Belt co-Coach of the Year

References

  1. ^ 1985-86 Sun Belt Conference Season Summary, Sports Reference, retrieved 2 May 2020
  2. ^ 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  3. ^ 1987 NBA Draft, Basketball Reference, retrieved 2 May 2020
  4. ^ "Tops to welcome back 1985-86, '86-87 squads Saturday". The Daily News. February 6, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  5. ^ 2016-17 SBC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 28 April 2020
  6. ^ 1985-86 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 4 May 2020


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