# 2008–09 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 2008–09 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by first year head coach Ken McDonald and team captain Orlando Mendez-Valdez. They played their home games at E. A. Diddle Arena and were members of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They finished the season 25–9 and 15–3 in Sun Belt Play to finish first in the East Division. One of the highlights of the season was a victory over in-state rival, 3rd ranked Louisville. The Hilltoppers won the Sun Belt Basketball tournament and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. They defeated Illinois in the first round before falling tenth ranked Gonzaga. Mendez-Valdez was SBC Player of the year and was joined by A.J. Slaughter on the All SBC team. Slaughter was SBC Tournament Most Valuable Player and was joined on the All-Tournament team by Mendaz-Valdez and Sergio Kerusch.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| 11/15/2008* | | at Houston | L 64–73 | 0–1 | Hofheinz Pavilion (3,217) Houston, TX |
| 11/18/2008* | | Campbellsville | W 62–48 | 1–1 | E. A. Diddle Arena (3,528) Bowling Green, KY |
| 11/22/2008* | | at Murray State | L 61–89 | 1–2 | CFSB Center (7,038) Murray, KY |
| 11/26/2008* | | Southern Illinois | W 79–70 | 2–2 | E. A. Diddle Arena (3,948) Bowling Green, KY |
| 11/30/2008* | | vs. No. 3 Louisville | W 68–54 | 3–2 | Sommet Center (8,193) Nashville, TN |
| 12/2/2008* | | Georgia | W 67–63 | 4–2 | E. A. Diddle Arena (7,086) Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/6/2008* | | at Tulane | W 82–67 | 5–2 | Devlin Fieldhouse (1,455) New Orleans, LA |
| 12/13/2008* | | at Evansville | L 40–72 | 5–3 | Roberts Municipal Stadium (7,746) Evansville, IN |
| 12/18/2008 | | at South Alabama | W 69–66 | 6–3 (1–0) | Mitchell Center (4,360) Mobile, AL |
| 12/21/2008* | | Alabama A&M | W 83–60 | 7–3 | E. A. Diddle Arena (3,083) Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/28/2008* | | vs. Florida State MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic | L 69–82 | 7–4 | BankAtlantic Center (9,045) Sunrise, FL |
| 1/1/2009 | | Troy | W 99–76 | 8–4 (2–0) | E. A. Diddle Arena (3,778) Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/3/2009 | | Arkansas–Little Rock | W 79–47 | 9–4 (3–0) | E. A. Diddle Arena (4,538) Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/5/2009* | | at Mississippi State | L 67–95 | 9–5 | Humphrey Coliseum (7,674) Starkville, MS |
| 1/8/2009 | | at FIU | L 79–81 | 9–6 (3–1) | Ocean Bank Convocation Center (609) University Park, FL |
| 1/10/2009 | | at Florida Atlantic | W 78–57 | 10–6 (4–1) | FAU Arena (1,165) Boca Raton, FL |
| 01/15/2009 | | Middle Tennessee | W 63–61 | 11–6 (5–1) | E. A. Diddle Arena (5,142) Bowling Green, KY |
| 01/17/2009 | | New Orleans | W 70–60 | 12–6 (6–1) | E. A. Diddle Arena (5,042) Bowling Green, KY |
| 01/22/2009 | | Louisiana–Lafayette | W 73–68 | 13–6 (7–1) | E. A. Diddle Arena (4,814) Bowling Green, KY |
| 01/24/2009 | | at Denver | L 74–78 | 13–7 (7–2) | Magness Arena (3,550) Denver, CO |
| 01/31/2009 | | North Texas | W 71–67 | 14–7 (8–2) | E. A. Diddle Arena (5,689) Bowling Green, KY |
| 02/2/2009 | | at Arkansas State | W 68–63 | 15–7 (9–2) | Convocation Center (5,091) Jonesboro, AR |
| 02/5/2009 | | at ULM | W 64–55 | 16–7 (10–2) | Fant–Ewing Coliseum (847) Monroe, LA |
| 02/07/2009 | | South Alabama | W 67–59 | 17–7 (11–2) | E. A. Diddle Arena (6,613) Bowling Green, KY |
| 02/14/2009 | | at Troy | L 82–87 | 17–8 (11–3) | Sartain Hall (2,204) Troy, AL |
| 2/19/2009 | | at Arkansas–Little Rock | W 78–69 | 18–8 (12–3) | Jack Stephens Center (5,012) Little Rock, AR |
| 02/21/2009 | | FIU | W 79–66 | 19–8 (13–3) | E. A. Diddle Arena (7,117) Bowling Green, KY |
| 02/26/2009 | | Florida Atlantic | W 87–67 | 20–8 (14–3) | E. A. Diddle Arena (6,413) Bowling Green, KY |
| 02/28/2009 | | at Middle Tennessee | W 68–49 | 21–8 (15–3) | Murphy Center (5,128) Murfreesboro, TN |
| 2009 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament ||||||
| 03/08/2009 | (1) | vs. (9) FIU Second Round | W 66–48 | 22–8 | Summit Arena (1,000) Hot Springs, AR |
| 03/09/2009 | (1) | vs. (4) North Texas Semifinals | W 77–70 | 23–8 | Summit Arena (3,504) Hot Springs, AR |
| 03/10/2009 | (1) | vs. (6) South Alabama Championship Game | W 64–56 | 24–8 | Summit Arena (3,493) Hot Springs, AR |
| 2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament ||||||
| 03/19/2009* | (12 S) | vs. (5 S) Illinois First Round | W 76–72 | 25–8 | Rose Garden Arena (17,169) Portland, OR |
| 03/21/2009* | (12 S) | vs. (4 S) No. 10 Gonzaga Second Round | L 81–83 | 25–9 | Rose Garden Arena (18,794) Portland, OR |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll (S) during NCAA Tournament is seed with Region. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||