2002–03 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 2002–03 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by head coach Dennis Felton and All Sun Belt Conference forward, David Boyden.[1] They finished 1st in the SBC East Division and won the conference tournament and automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.[2] Joining Boyden on the All SBC team was Mike Wells and Patrick Sparks, as well as SBC Freshman of the Year, Anthony Winchester. Boyden and Wells also made the SBC All-Tournament team and Sparks was tournament MVP.[3]

2002–03 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
SBC Tournament Champion
SBC East Division Champion
NCAA Tournament, first round
ConferenceSun Belt Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record24–9 (12–2 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Assistant coachPete Herrmann
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
Seasons
2002–03 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
East
Western Kentucky 12 2   .857 24 9   .727
Middle Tennessee 9 5   .643 16 14   .533
Arkansas-Little Rock 8 6   .571 18 12   .600
Arkansas State 6 8   .429 13 15   .464
Florida International 1 13   .071 8 21   .276
West
Louisiana–Lafayette 12 3   .800 20 10   .667
New Mexico State 9 6   .600 20 9   .690
South Alabama 7 8   .467 14 14   .500
New Orleans 7 8   .467 15 14   .517
Denver 7 8   .467 17 15   .531
North Texas 2 13   .133 7 21   .250
2003 Sun Belt Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

Schedule

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[4]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
Regular season
11/23/2002*
No. 19 at No. 1 Arizona L 68–107  0–1
McKale Center (14,584)
Tucson, AZ
11/26/2002*
VCU W 80–73 OT 1–1
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,131)
Bowling Green, KY
12/1/2002*
vs. Auburn W 89–70  2–1
Gaylord Entertainment Center (6,589)
Nashville, TN
12/3/2002*
at Evansville L 76–81 OT 2–2
Roberts Municipal Stadium (6,900)
Evansville, IN
12/7/2002*
at Murray State L 72–83  2–3
CFSB Center (7,288)
Murray, KY
12/15/2002*
Illinois State W 63–43  3–3
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,130)
Bowling Green, KY
12/18/2002*
Southern Mississippi W 64–54  4–3
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,270)
Bowling Green, KY
12/20/2002*
Saint Francis (PA) W 80–45  5–3
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,641)
Bowling Green, KY
12/23/2002*
at Pacific L 57–70  5–4
Alex G. Spanos Center (2,701)
Stockton, CA
12/28/2002*
vs. Chicago State
Rainbow Classic
W 63–56  6–4
Stan Sheriff Center (6,097)
Honolulu, HI
12/29/2002*
vs. Butler
Rainbow Classic
L 60–63  6–5
Stan Sheriff Center (7,184)
Honolulu, HI
12/30/2002*
vs. Tennessee Tech
Rainbow Classic
W 74–51  7–5
Stan Sheriff Center (7,925)
Honolulu, HI
1/4/2003
at Middle Tennessee L 65–69  7–6
(0–1)
Murphy Center (3,804)
Murfreesboro, TN
1/9/2003
at Arkansas–Little Rock W 74–66  8–6
(1–1)
Alltel Arena (4,358)
North Little Rock, AR
1/11/2003
at Arkansas State W 77–69  9–6
(2–1)
Convocation Center (5,262)
Jonesboro, AR
1/16/2003
New Orleans W 78–59  10–6
(3–1)
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,752)
Bowling Green, KY
1/18/2003
South Alabama W 85–69  11–6
(4–1)
E. A. Diddle Arena (6,418)
Bowling Green, KY
1/25/2003
at New Mexico State L 82–92  11–7
(4–2)
Pan American Center (9,113)
Las Cruces, NM
1/30/2003
FIU W 63–43  12–7
(5–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,112)
Bowling Green, KY
2/1/2003*
at Detroit L 65–86  12–8
Calihan Hall (3,362)
Detroit, MI
2/3/2003*
Kentucky State W 104–70  13–8
E. A. Diddle Arena (3,743)
Bowling Green, KY
02/5/2003
Denver W 81–77  14–8
(6–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,707)
Bowling Green, KY
2/8/2003
at North Texas W 85–70  15–8
(7–2)
UNT Coliseum (4,212)
Denton, TX
2/13/2003
Arkansas–Little Rock W 70–51  16–8
(8–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (4,108)
Bowling Green, KY
2/15/2003
Arkansas State W 69–63  17–8
(9–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (5,312)
Bowling Green, KY
2/19/2003
at FIU W 71–58  18–8
(10–2)
Ocean Bank Convocation Center (689)
University Park, FL
2/22/2003*
Ball State
ESPN BracketBusters
W 84–79  19–8
E. A. Diddle Arena (6,112)
Bowling Green, KY
2/26/2003
at Louisiana–Lafayette W 69–66  20–8
(11–2)
Cajundome (9,121)
Lafayette, LA
3/1/2003
Middle Tennessee W 85–83 OT 21–8
(12–2)
E. A. Diddle Arena (7,412)
Bowling Green, KY
Sun Belt tournament
3/8/2003
(E1) (E5) FIU
Second Round
W 71–60  22–8
E. A. Diddle Arena (7,259)
Bowling Green, KY
3/10/2003
(E1) (W2) New Mexico State
Semifinals
W 78–59  23–8
E. A. Diddle Arena (7,337)
Bowling Green, KY
3/11/2003
(E1) (E2) Middle Tennessee
Finals
W 64–52  24–8
E. A. Diddle Arena (8,118)
Bowling Green, KY
NCAA tournament
03/20/2003*
(13 W) vs. (4 W) No. 11 Illinois
First Round
L 60–65  24–9
RCA Dome (21,250)
Indianapolis, IN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll (W#) during NCAA Tournament is seed with Region. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

[5]

References

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  1. ^ SBC 2016-17 Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 28 April 2020
  2. ^ Hilltoppers three-peat!, By the Daily News Online, Mar 12, 2003, retrieved 29 April 2020
  3. ^ WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  4. ^ 2002-03 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 29 April 2020
  5. ^ "2002-2003 Men's Basketball Statistics" (PDF). WKU Sports.