1978–79 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball none 1978–79 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers WKU Hilltoppers wordmark.png 150 Ohio Valley Conference OVC 17–11 7–5 Gene Keady Clem Haskins E. A. Diddle Arena The 1978–79 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were members of the Ohio Valley Conference and led by future National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame coach Gene Keady in his first year as head coach.Lowell H. Harrison Western Kentucky University https://books.google.com/books?id=zL4eBgAAQBAJ&q=gene+keady+leaves+wku+for+purdue&pg=PA276 1987 University Press of Kentucky 978-0813116204 276– WKU finished tied for second in the OVC regular season. The conference tournament was hosted by regular season champion Eastern Kentucky.2019-2020 OVC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 4 May 2020 Western Kentucky had defeated EKU twice during the season, but their third meeting in the conference tournament championship ended in controversy. The Hilltoppers held a one-point lead when the game clock expired, however, due to crowd noise, the referees and time keeper did not hear the buzzer. A foul was called on WKU with no time left and Eastern Kentucky made two free throws to win the game. A review of game film afterwards showed that the foul was called 3.5 seconds after the game clock had ended. Western Kentucky appealed to the OVC Commissioner, however, their appeal was denied. Ruby Earl Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University American National Bank and Trust Co. 1979 This perceived wrong was a factor in Western Kentucky's decision to leave the OVC in 1982.UA19/2/1 Press Conference re: WKU vs EKU Basketball Game Controversy, retrieved 28 December 2020 Greg Jackson and Trey Trumbo were named to the All-OVC Team, and Jackson was OVC Tournament MVP.2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020 Schedule 1978-79 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 6 May 2020 1978-79 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1980 |- !colspan=6| Regular season 11/25/1978 yes Duke 1 E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 53–78 0–1 |- 11/27/1978 yes Jacksonville State E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 71–59 1–1 11/30/1978 yes yes Florida State Tully Gymnasium Tallahassee, FL 59–70 1–2 12/2/1978 yes Bowling Green State E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 70–48 2–2 12/4/1978 yes Mississippi College E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 56–53 3–2 12/9/1978 yes yes Evansville Roberts Municipal Stadium Evansville, IN 63–60 4–2 12/15/1978 yes Davidson E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 103–81 5–2 12/18/1978 yes Illinois State E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 74–75 OT 5–3 12/30/1978 yes yes Butler Hinkle Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN 71–65 6–3 1/6/1979 yes Wisconsin-Milwaukee E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 89–66 7–3 1/10/1979 yes yes La Salle Palestra Philadelphia, PA 66–90 7–4 1/15/1979 yes Tennessee Tech Eblen Center Cookeville, TN 68–75 7–5 (0-1) 1/17/1979 Morehead State E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 78–76 8–5 (1-1) 1/20/1979 yes Murray State Racer Arena Murray, KY 65–67 8–6 (1-2) 1/22/1979 Austin Peay E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 85–61 9–6 (2-2) 1/24/1979 yes yes Dayton UD Arena Dayton, OH 78–72 10–6 2/21/1980 Middle Tennessee E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 72–70 2OT 11–6 (3-2) 1/29/1979 Eastern Kentucky E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 70–65 12–6 (4-2) 2/1/1979 yes CCNY E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 104–50 13–6 2/3/1979 yes Morehead State Wetherby Gymnasium Morehead, KY 81–83 13–7 (4-3) 2/5/1979 yes Eastern Kentucky Alumni Coliseum Richmond, KY 70–65 14–7 (5-3) 2/10/1979 yes yes East Tennessee Memorial Center Johnson City, TN 64–65 14–8 2/12/1979 Tennessee Tech E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 80–66 15–8 (6-3) 2/17/1979 yes Austin Peay Dunn Center Clarksville, TN 78–66 16–8 (7-3) 2/19/1979 Murray State E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY 64–66 16–9 (7-4) 2/24/1979 yes Middle Tennessee Murphy Center Murfreesboro, TN 76–81 16–10 (7-5) |- !colspan=6| 1979 Ohio Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament 3/2/1979 yes 2 Morehead State 3 Alumni Coliseum Richmond, KY Semifinals 90–85 17–10 3/3/1979 yes 2 Eastern Kentucky 1 Alumni Coliseum Richmond, KY Championship 77–78 17–11 |- AP Poll References Category:Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball seasons Western Kentucky Western Kentucky Basketball, Men's Western Kentucky Basketball, Men's Category:Long stubs with short prose