# 1977–78 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1977–78 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Hilltoppers were members of the Ohio Valley Conference and led by coach Jim Richards, in his final year at the helm. WKU finished third in the OVC regular season, but won the tournament championship and the conference's automatic bid to the 1978 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament, where they advanced to the sweet sixteen. James Johnson and Darryl Turner made the All-OVC Team and Aaron Bryant was selected to the OVC Tournament Team.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| 11/26/1977* | | No. 13 Michigan | L 81–87 | 0–1 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 11/30/1977* | | at Evansville | W 82–72 | 1–1 | Roberts Municipal Stadium Evansville, IN |
| 12/3/1977* | | at Bowling Green | W 78–65 | 2–1 | Anderson Arena Bowling Green, OH |
| 12/5/1977* | | Memphis State | L 80–86 | 2–2 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/7/1977* | | Butler | L 86–90 | 2–3 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/10/1977* | | Wisconsin-Milwaukee | L 70–73 | 2–4 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/17/1977* | | Cal Poly-San Lius Obispo | W 72–50 | 3–4 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/28/1977* | | at No. 14 Maryland Maryland Invitational | L 78–91 | 3–5 | Cole Field House College Park, MD |
| 12/29/1977* | | vs. St. John’s (NY) Maryland Invitational | L 63–80 | 3–6 | Cole Field House College Park, MD |
| 1/4/1978* | | La Salle | L 64–78 | 3–7 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/7/1978 | | at Eastern Kentucky | L 79–85 $^{OT}$ | 3–8 (0-1) | Alumni Coliseum Richmond, KY |
| 1/9/1978 | | at Morehead State | W 97–82 | 4–8 (1-1) | Wetherby Gymnasium Morehead, KY |
| 1/11/1978* | | Jacksonville | W 96–94 $^{OT}$ | 5–8 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/14/1978 | | East Tennessee | W 98–94 $^{OT}$ | 6–8 (2-1) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/16/1978 | | Tennessee Tech | W 86–75 | 7–8 (3-1) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/21/1978 | | Murray State | W 91–75 | 8–8 (4-1) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/23/1978 | | at Austin Peay | W 91–83 | 9–8 (5-1) | Dunn Center Clarksville, TN |
| 1/25/1978* | | Dayton | L 72–80 | 9–9 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/28/1978 | | at Middle Tennessee | L 69–98 | 9–10 (5-2) | Murphy Center Murfreesboro, TN |
| 2/4/1978 | | Morehead State | W 106–69 | 10–10 (6-2) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/6/1978 | | Eastern Kentucky | L 74–78 $^{OT}$ | 10–11 (6-3) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/11/1978 | | at East Tennessee | L 77–80 $^{3OT}$ | 10–12 (6-4) | Memorial Center Johnson City, TN |
| 2/13/1978 | | at Tennessee Tech | W 81–69 | 11–12 (7-4) | Eblen Center Cookeville, TN |
| 2/18/1978 | | Austin Peay | L 64–66 | 11–13 (7-5) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/20/1978 | | at Murray State | W 100–98 $^{OT}$ | 12–13 (8-5) | Racer Arena Murray, KY |
| 2/25/1978 | | Middle Tennessee | W 87–78 | 13–13 (9-5) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1978 Ohio Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament ||||||
| 3/3/1978 | (3) | (2) East Tennessee Semifinals | W 79–75 | 14–13 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 3/4/1978 | (3) | (4) Austin Peay Championship | W 77–69 $^{OT}$ | 15–13 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1978 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament ||||||
| 3/11/1978* | (4Q ME) | vs. (2L ME) No. 18 Syracuse First Round | W 87–86 $^{OT}$ | 16–13 | Stokely Athletic Center Knoxville, TN |
| 3/7/1980* | (4Q ME) | vs. (1Q ME) No. 4 Michigan State Sweet Sixteen | L 69–90 | 16–14 | UD Arena Dayton, OH |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||