The 2016–17 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by head coach Rick Stansbury in his first season. They played their home games at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky and were third-year members of Conference USA. They finished the season 15–17, 9–9 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for seventh place. They lost to UTSA in the first round of the C-USA tournament.C-USA 2019-20 MEN'S BASKETBALL STATS, retrieved 29 April 2020
Previous season The Hilltoppers finished the 2015–16 season 18–16, 8–10 in C-USA play to finish in eighth place. They defeated North Texas and UAB to advance to the semifinals of the C-USA tournament where they lost to Old Dominion. Despite having 18 wins and a better they .500 record, they did not participate in a postseason tournament.
On March 17, 2016, head coach Ray Harper resigned after three players were suspended by a university disciplinary committee. He finished at WKU with a record of 90–62. On March 28, the school hired Rick Stansbury as head coach.
Offseason Departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Chris McNeal 1 G 6'0" 195 Freshman Jackson, Tennessee Transferred to Indian Hills CC Aaron Cosby 2 G 6'3" 200 RS Senior Louisville, Kentucky Graduated Marlon Hunter Jr. 3 G 6'2" 195 Freshman Memphis, Tennessee Transferred to Odessa College Phabian Glasco 13 F 6'7" 230 Junior Tulsa, Oklahoma Left the team for personal reasons Dylan Sanford 15 G 6'1" 180 Freshman Owensboro, Kentucky Left the team for personal reasons Aleksej Rostov 20 C 6'10" 240 Senior Riga, Latvia Graduated Nigel Snipes 21 F 6'6" 220 RS Senior Marietta, Georgia Graduated Nathan Smith 22 C 7'2" 240 Freshman London, England Left the team for personal reasons Frederick Edmond 25 G 6'4" 205 Junior Lansing, Michigan Transferred Keifer Dalton 32 G 5'11" 165 Freshman Albany, Kentucky Walk-on; left the team for personal reasons Chris Harrison-Docks 51 G 6'0" 175 RS Junior Okemos, Michigan Graduate transferred to DePaul
Incoming transfers Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School Junior Lomomba 5 G 6'5" 205 RS Junior Montreal, QE Transferred from Providence. Lomomba will be eligible to play immediately since Lomomba graduated from Providence. Que Johnson 32 F 6'5" 208 RS Senior Pontiac, Michigan Transferred from Washington State. Johnson will be eligible to play immediately since Johnson graduated from Washington State. Cleveland Thomas 12 G 6'3" 195 RS Senior Baton Rouge, Louisiana Transferred from Hartford. Thomas will be eligible to play immediately since Thomas graduated from Hartford. Lamonte Bearden G 6'3" 160 Junior Milawaukee, Wisconsin Transferred from Buffalo. Under NCAA transfer rules, Bearden will have to sit out for the 2016–17 season. Will have two years of remaining eligibility. Moustapha Diagne C 6'9" 245 Sophomore Dakar, Senegal Junior college transferred from Northwest Florida State College. He will have to sit out the 2016–17 season and will have three years of eligibility left.
Future recruits Class of 2016 recruits
Class of 2017 recruits
Preseason The Hilltoppers were picked to finish in third place in the preseason Conference USA poll. Justin Johnson was selected to the preseason All-Conference USA team.
Roster
Schedule and results
!colspan=9 style=| Exhibition
!colspan=9 style=| Non-conference regular season
!colspan=12 style=| Conference USA regular season
!colspan=9 style=| Conference USA Tournament
Awards and honors Following the regular season, Justin Johnson was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team based on a poll of league coaches.
See also 2016–17 WKU Lady Toppers basketball team
References