The 2011–12 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by fourth year head coach Ken McDonald for the first 16 games of the season before he was fired and were then led by former assistant and new head coach Ray Harper for the remainder of the year. They played their home games at E. A. Diddle Arena and are members of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 16–19, 7–9 in Sun Belt Play to finish in a tie for third place in the East Division. The Hilltoppers were champions of the Sun Belt Basketball tournament to earn the conference's automatic bid into the 2012 NCAA tournament.SBC 2016-17 Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 28 April 2020 It was their 22nd tournament appearance and first since 2009. WKU was also the first sub-.500 team to make the NCAA Tournament since Coppin State in 2008. They defeated Mississippi Valley State in the First Four round before falling in the second round to eventual national champion Kentucky.WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020 Derrick Gordon made the All-Conference Team; Gordon and Kahil McDonald were selected to the SBC Tournament Team, and George Fant was tournament MVP.2019-20 SBC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 23 June 2020

Roster Number Name Position Height Weight Year Hometown 0 Kene Anyigbo Forward 6–5 250 Sophomore Bellaire, Texas 1 Kevin Kaspar Guard 6–0 172 Freshman Istanbul, Turkey 3 Kahlil McDonald Guard 6–3 200 Senior Brooklyn, New York 5 Derrick Gordon Guard 6–3 185 Freshman Plainfield, New Jersey 10 Caden Dickerson Forward 6–4 200 Junior Argyle, Texas 11 Spence Sheldon Guard 5–11 165 Freshman Bowling Green, Kentucky 14 Jamal Crook Guard 6–3 175 Junior Louisville, Kentucky 15 O'Karo Akamune Forward 6–6 205 Sophomore Miami, Florida 21 Nigel Snipes Forward 6–5 205 Freshman Marietta, Georgia 22 Teeng Akol Forward 6–11 217 Junior Wian, Sudan 24 Stephon Drane Forward 6–7 228 Sophomore Raleigh, North Carolina 25 Jay Starks Guard 6–3 187 Junior Scottsville, Kentucky 41 Vinny Zollo Forward 6–8 240 Freshman Winchester, Kentucky 44 George Fant Forward 6–5 245 Freshman Bowling Green, Kentucky 52 T. J. Price Guard 6–3 220 Freshman Slidell, Louisiana

Schedule 2011-12 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 29 April 2020

!colspan=9| Exhibition

!colspan=9| Regular Season

!colspan=9| 2012 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament

!colspan=9| 2012 NCAA tournament

References