# 1981–82 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1981–82 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by coach Clem Haskins and All-Ohio Valley Conference center Craig McCormick. In what would be their last year in the conference, WKU won the OVC championship, were OVC tournament runners-up, and received a bid to the 1982 National Invitation Tournament. Bobby Jones joined McCormick on the All-OVC Team; Jones and Kenny Ellis made the OVC Tournament Team and McCormick was tournament MVP. McCormick was selected in the NBA draft following the season.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| November 27, 1981* | | vs. Nevada Sun Met Classic | L 70–84 | 0–1 | Selland Arena Fresno, CA |
| November 28, 1981* | | vs. Oklahoma City Sun Met Classic | W 51–49 | 1–1 | Selland Arena Fresno, CA |
| December 4, 1981* | | New Hampshire Wendy’s Classic | W 83–52 | 2–1 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| December 5, 1981* | | No. 3 Louisville Wendy’s Classic | L 66–71 | 2–2 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| December 9, 1981* | | Butler | W 96–65 | 3–2 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| December 12, 1981* | | at Evansville | L 70–73 | 3–3 | Roberts Municipal Stadium Evansville, IN |
| Ohio Valley Conference regular season ||||||
| December 19, 1981 | | Austin Peay | W 77–64 | 4–3 (1–0) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| December 22, 1981* | | at No. 17 Georgetown (D.C.) | L 45–64 | 4–4 | Capital Centre Landover, MD |
| December 30, 1981* | | Duquesne | L 62–63 $^{OT}$ | 4–5 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| January 3, 1982 | | Murray State | W 71–54 | 5–5 (2–0) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| January 7, 1982 | | at Morehead State | L 57–59 | 5–6 (2–1) | Ellis Johnson Arena Morehead, KY |
| January 10, 1982 | | at Eastern Kentucky | W 75–65 | 6–6 (3–1) | Alumni Coliseum Richmond, KY |
| January 14, 1982 | | Middle Tennessee | W 65–49 | 7–6 (4–1) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| January 16, 1982 | | Tennessee Tech | W 51–50 | 8–6 (5–1) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| January 21, 1982 | | at Akron | W 77–68 | 9–6 (6–1) | James A. Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| January 23, 1982 | | at Youngstown State | W 68–59 | 10–6 (7–1) | Beeghly Center Youngstown, OH |
| January 25, 1982* | | Dayton | W 65–57 | 11–6 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| January 28, 1982 | | at Austin Peay | W 48–46 | 12–6 (8–1) | Dunn Center Clarksville, TN |
| January 30, 1982 | | at Murray State | L 60–63 | 12–7 (8–2) | Racer Arena Murray, KY |
| February 4, 1982 | | Eastern Kentucky | W 61–34 | 13–7 (9–2) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| February 6, 1982 | | Morehead State | W 68–53 | 14–7 (10–2) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| February 11, 1982 | | at Tennessee Tech | L 64–70 $^{OT}$ | 14–8 (10–3) | Eblen Center Cookeville, TN |
| February 13, 1982 | | at Middle Tennessee | W 75–64 | 15–8 (11–3) | Murphy Center Murfreesboro, TN |
| February 18, 1982 | | Youngstown State | W 63–51 | 16–8 (12–3) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| February 20, 1982 | | Akron | W 82–68 | 17–8 (13–3) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| February 27, 1982* | | Northern Iowa | W 75–67 | 18–8 | UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA |
| Ohio Valley Conference Tournament ||||||
| March 5, 1982 | (1) | (4) Morehead State Semifinals | W 95–87 | 19–8 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| March 6, 1982 | (1) | (3) Middle Tennessee Championship | L 52–54 | 19–9 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| NIT ||||||
| March 10, 1982* | | at Purdue First Round | L 65–72 | 19–10 | Mackey Arena West Lafayette, IN |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||