Western Kentucky

[Censored by Laurie]

Continuing my way too early look at the Sun Belt...a look at the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers:

Projected Starters:

• PG. Tyrone Brazelton 5'11" 170 Sr.
• SG. Courtney Lee 6'5" 200 Sr.
• SF. Stepffon Pettigrew 6'5" 220 Fr.
• PF. Jeremy Evans 6'9" 200 Soph.
• C. Japeth Aguilar 6'9" 210 Jr.

Frontcourt: Stepffon Pettigrew (6'5" 220 Fr.) is the first Kentucky Mr. Basketball to sign with the Hilltoppers since 1958. Former recipients include Tennessee guard Chris Lofton, Rex Chapman, Allan Houston and former USA coach John Pelphry. Pettigrew put up 33.6ppg and 13.8rpg in his senior year...yet had a sub-par showing in the Kentucky - Indiana all star game, scoring just 6 points in 25 minutes; reports said he was having trouble getting free for any clean looks and may've been in a bit over his head. If Pettigrew struggles, Courtney Lee is rather a nice insurance policy to slide over to the 3. Lee (6'5" 200 Sr.) has been a star in the Sun Belt since he was named freshman of the year in '04-'05. Lee led the Toppers in scoring (17.3ppg) was second in rebounding (4.6rpg) and despite what the Talons thought...is by no means overrated and should be a top candidate for SBC player of the year. Jeremy Evans (6'9" 200 Soph.) enjoyed a successful freshman campaign, averaging 7.0ppg and a team leading 5.7rpg in a platoon role with Daniel Emerson (6'8" 230 Jr). Emerson, who was very highly touted coming out of Georgia, underachieved in his time in Bowling Green and transfered to play with his older brother at Mercer. The remainder of the frontcourt remains a question. Japeth Aguilar (6'9" 210 Jr) is the first Filipino born player to play D-1 basketball, and has a difficult transition to make from Ateneo de Manila University in the Phillippeans. Boris Siakam (6'7" 225 Sr.) gave a solid contibution last season in limited minutes (4.5ppg, 3.2rpg). The status of A'Darius Pegues (6'9" 230 Soph?) is intriguing. Recruited before last season, Pegues failed to qualify, but his return, while unofficial at the moment, seems to be a done deal. D.J. Magley (6'10" 260 Fr.) is a beast...and is said to have rather deft moves for his size (16.4ppg, 12.0 rpg, 8.0 apg). Mike Walker (6'7" 220 Sr.) and Matt Maresca (6'8" 215 Jr.) both made contributions last season and will provide depth.

Backcourt: Including Lee, five of the the Hilltoppers six leading returning scorers are guards. Tyrone Brazelton (5'11" 170 Sr.) made an immediate impact in his first season at WKU. The JUCO transfer finished second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) led the team in assists (4.0apg) and was the only Topper to start all 33 games. Three combo guards round out the Western backcourt. Ty Rogers (6'3" 195 Sr.), Orlando Mendez-Valdez (6'2" 180 Jr.) and A.J. Slaughter (6'3" 180 Soph.) combined to score nearly 25 points per game last season in a reserve / spot start role. Mendez-Valdez led the group in scoring (9.4ppg) and assists (3.0apg) and shot a team high 48% from the 3pt line. Rogers is capable of the big scoring game, dropping 27 against FAU, good for the team high for the season. Slaughter had a successful freshman campaign, and while his role probably won't increase much this season, WKU fans are expecting a lot from Slaughter once Lee moves on. Freshman B.J. Frazier, (6'6" 210) is a Rivals three star recruit out of Georgia, but in a crowded backcourt will have to really impress to see any significant time. Walk-ons Desire Gabou (6'2" 185 Jr) and Adam Howard (5'11" 180 Sr.) complete the roster.

Summary: Courtney Lee automatically makes this team a contender. WKU went 12-6 and finished second in the SBC East last season and many fans felt they under-achieved. If Pettigrew is ready, the Toppers are loaded at the one, two and three...and capable of some very versatile lineups. The frontcourt may determine whether this team can overtake South Alabama in the East. While Emerson had yet to deliver, many bigs figure things out in their junior year so his departure may have fans wondering "what if." Evans is an active over-achiever, but an increase in his productivity from last season is doubtful. The biggest wild-card could be Magley, who for his age and size is said to be a polished post product. At the very least, WKU will have seven players 6'7" or bigger and have the potential to be one of the more bruising teams in the guard dominated SBC. USA is still the team to beat in the East, but look for the Toppers to finish second again and certainly not to be a team you want to see in the SBC tourney.

Edited June 26, 2007 by Censored by Laurie

[Harry]

Love your write ups man!

[KRAM1]

Nice job...VERY nice job!

[emmitt01]

I am humored by the fact that you didn't realize the "overrated" chant was to try to get into Courtney Lee's head and not a sincere sentiment. I'm even more homored that you attributed it to the Talons who had nothing to do with it.

[Censored by Laurie]

Was that similar to trying to get into Memphis' head 12 minutes into the tourney game. I have no problem with an overrated chant with 2 minutes left in a game, but from what I recall of the last WKU game we were up 20 at the half, let Courtney Lee know what our opinion of him was, and ended up winning by 4, with Lee tying a season high with 25 points. I also attibuted it to the Talons because I was hoping that only they could've been so basketball ignorant to have started it. I was hoping to give you more credit than that Emmitt...

[Keith7]

yes the overrated chant did come out way to early against western Kentucky and they almost embarrassed us for it.. wait til the last minute or two to bust out the overrated chant please

[untgeorge]

another great, well researched writeup. Fine job.

ArkSt is known for its physicality; WKU for its finesse. WKU will win a lot of games on its quickness, athleticism and shooting. Plus Courtney Lee can absolutely take over a game in a way no one else in the conference, save McCalebb, is able to do. I don't watch the NBA but figure that Lee is the conference's most likely NBA success. If Pettigrew lives up to his promise, and WKU gets some help inside, watch out.

Last season WKU experienced a decline in its defense; so much so that many fans began referring to coach Darrin Horn as "Arrin (No D) Horn". Much of this was the result of WKUs lack of a strong inside presence. Evans may not have enough of a big body to change that, but Pegues and/or Magli probably do, unless they disappear a la Emerson. Too bad Emerson transferred, it was fun watching Wooden and Wells and others push his 6-8 230 body around. Overall, one might expect WKUs defense to be improved, even though depending on some young talent.

One wonders if Emerson's departure was his initiative or Horn's. Emerson's playing time decreased substantially from December to March.

WKU may have more true point guards than the rest of the conference all together. But "true" I mean guys who distribute the ball and make plays for others; the role of McCalebb (and the now departed Rice at FAU) is to run the offense to create his own shot.

The WKU coaching situation is interesting. You notice the older guy who always sits next to Horn? WKU insiders tell me he was hired specifically to help Horn (who is very young, early '30s) with in-game coaching, and for a year or so wasn't even a full-time coach. (He is now.) Gotta believe Slinker would have benefitted from this kind of arrangement.

Potential means "you ain't done it yet", but this team has as much potential as anyone. Experience and skill in the backcourt, highly regarded young talent in the front court, impressive depth, and the go-to guy. The team may be a year away, but don't bet against them by conference tournament time.

[FirefightnRick]

Was that similar to trying to get into Memphis' head 12 minutes into the tourney game. I have no problem with an overrated chant with 2 minutes left in a game, but from what I recall of the last WKU game we were up 20 at the half, let Courtney Lee know what our opinion of him was, and ended up winning by 4, with Lee tying a season high with 25 points. I also attibuted it to the Talons because I was hoping that only they could've been so basketball ignorant to have started it. I was hoping to give you more credit than that Emmitt...

OUCH!

Hey, don't look at me. I was 5 rows back trying to give y'all the "CUT" sign knowing damn well no lead was big enough for us at that point in the season regardless if it was with 20 or 2 minutes left.

Rick

Edited June 27, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[UNTLifer]

Nice job...VERY nice job!

Yes, nice job, but we'll kick their butts again next year.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Your writeups are great. All I need to know about the teams we play are now found compliments of you.

[Censored by Laurie]

Your writeups are great. All I need to know about the teams we play are now found compliments of you.

I appreciate it...work has picked up considerably since I started these and I haven't gotten around to the rest of the SBC West and UNT...but they'll be up well before the season starts

[Cooley]

COACH AND PROGRAM

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Last Season 22-11 (.667)

Conference Record 12-6 (2nd)

Starters Lost/Returning 1/4

Coach Darrin Horn (Western Kentucky '95)

Record At School 82-41 (4 years)

Career Record 82-41 (4 years)

RPI Last 5 years 59-145-71-58-94

Courtney Lee has done a great deal to attract the attention of pro scouts while at Western Kentucky. The 6-5 senior from Indianapolis averaged 17.3 points and 4.6 rebounds as a junior, and his 1,503 career points have him on pace to end up second on the Hilltoppers' career scor-ing list. (Jim McDaniels holds the record, scoring 2,238 points from 1969-71).

Lee is a 40-percent three-point shooter during his career (176-437) and shot 84 percent at the free-throw line last season. He also led the Hilltoppers in steals. Lee even at-tended the skills academies of LeBron James (Akron, Ohio) and Vince Carter (Orlando, Fla.) this past summer.

There is, however, one more item that would polish his resume. ''I think he has to win a championship,'' WKU coach Darrin Horn said. ''He's a great kid and a good player. But there are a lot of good players in the world and the NBA is world-wide now.'' Elevating his game more consistently in the crucial moments of the biggest games, says Horn, will take Lee's stock to a new level. Lee had nine turnovers in a disappointing loss to Nebraska last season. And while he was solid in a Sun Belt semifinal loss to Arkansas State (17 points, three steals), the Indians' Adrian Banks was the story. Banks scored 29 points, made 8-of-12 field goals and all 11 free throws.

In the spirit of Horn's stock tip, Lee could do more with less this season. He could be a better player without his numbers necessarily bearing it out on an older, deeper Hilltoppers team.

PLAYERS

Western should be more balanced. It returns four starters, and the one it lost, Daniel Emerson, averaged a modest 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds. One of the biggest assets is that 5-11 senior point guard Tyrone Brazelton (12.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg) has a season in Division I behind him. Brazelton was certainly capable in his debut campaign out of junior college. He averaged 4.0 assists and shot 40 percent from three-point range. But Horn anticipates more consistency this time through. Brazelton had 11 turnovers in a 71-69 loss at Arkansas-Little Rock in mid January and finished with 106 turnovers and 133 assists.

''He would be completely dominant at both ends of the floor some nights,'' Horn said, ''and then there were nights he'd have like eight turnovers. Overall, I was pleased. Coming from junior college, especially for a point guard, it's a really tough adjustment in terms of running the team.''

Another returning starter on the perimeter is 6-3 senior Ty Rogers (8.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg). The spot-up shooter made 65 threes last season while shooting 39 percent from behind the arc. Considering he made only 24 trips to the free-throw line despite averaging 25 minutes in 33 games, Horn would like to see his three-point percentage even higher. ''Rogers is a good shooter, but he's got to go from being a good shooter to somebody that's just lethal,'' Horn said. ''He needs to be shooting in the mid 40s.'' Horn also has experienced guards in 6-1 junior Orlando Mendez-Valdez (9.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg) and 6-3 sophomore A.J. Slaughter (6.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg). Mendez-Valdez, the No. 2 point guard, averaged 3.0 assists and was second on the team with 35 steals.

''Mendez-Valdez is extremely tough,'' Horn said. ''He has great basketball savvy and he's a fiery competitor who makes others better.'' Slaughter shot 38 percent while making 25 three-pointers as a freshman. Newcomer Steffphon Pettigrew, a 6-5 freshman out of Elizabethtown (Ky.) High School, is expected to play somewhere right away. Pettigrew was Kentucky's Mr. Basketball and was selected the Kentucky Player of the Year by the Associated Press and Louisville Courier-Journal last season. Pettigrew averaged a state-best 33.6 points per game. The strong and versatile 220-pounder also averaged 13.8 rebounds, shot 38 percent from three-point range, 77 percent at the free-throw line and blocked 60 shots.

''Steffphon is just a basketball player,'' Horn said. ''I don't know if he fits better closer to the basket or on the perimeter. He does have that kind of body and makeup that gives us a physical presenceon the perimeter or insidethat we didn't have last season.'' Pettigrew had offers from Xavier and Saint Louis. He was holding out to hear from Kentucky. ''I really felt like if Kentucky didn't offer him that we had a really good chance,'' Horn said. ''He didn't seem like a young man who wanted to go too far from home.'' WKU does have a presence, if not a physical one, returning in the lane. Lanky 6-9, 190-pound sophomore Jeremy Evans (7.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg) blocked 44 shots and shot 64 percent from the field as a freshman. With added strength and experience, Evans could become a force in the Sun Belt.

''I don't think Evans is a kid who's ever going to carry much weight, but he has gotten stronger,'' Horn said. ''I believe his squat has gone up 100 pounds. Last year he got by pretty much on length and athleticism, but he actually has a lot of skill and savvy.'' Returning forwards include 6-7 senior Boris Siakam (4.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and 6-8 junior Matt Maresca (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg). Siakam shot 74.6 percent (50-of-67) from the field last year. Newcomers up front who Horn expects early contributions from are 6-9 junior Japeth Aguilar and 6-9, 260-pound freshman D.J. Magley. The first Filipino-born basketball player ever to sign with an NCAA D-I program, Aguilar averaged 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots as a sophomore at Ateneo de Manila University two years ago.

''Just with his length and athleticism, Aguilar can help us,'' Horn said. ''He's not a bad shot blocker.'' Magley averaged 24 points, 14 rebounds and six assists last season for Bradenton (Fla.) Christian School, and his size and strength could get him on the court in the short run. In fact, Diddle Arena might already be flinching. Magley shattered a backboard during a high school gamethe first game after finding out his point guard had been lost for the season with a knee injury. Don't get this guy upset. Horn also signed B.J. Frazier. The 6-7 freshman out of Stone Mountain, Ga., is an athletic, slashing wing.

''He's a terrific talent,'' Horn said, ''but he has the biggest adjustment to make from high school.''

Western will be tough to contain. The Hilltoppers made 40.4 percent of their three-pointers last season, and return 235 of the 263 they made. Five 'Toppers made at least 25 three-pointers, and each of those players shot at least 38 percent from behind the arc. Maybe it takes one to know one. Horn made 44.6 percent of his three-pointers as a senior on a Western team that beat Michigan in the first round of the 1995 NCAA Tournament. He has an eye for sound shooting strokes and a knack for weaving them seamlessly into his scheme.

''I wouldn't describe it as us having a lot of green lights,'' Horn said. ''But we want them taking threes within their roles.''

Western has been on the brink of excellence most of Horn's four seasons as head coach. He's won at least 22 games each of the last three seasons after 15 wins his first year. And Horn hasn't fattened up on cupcakes. The Hilltoppers have won twice at Georgia, at UAB and at Murray State since he came home. Quality losses include a two-point setback at Bradley, which went on to the Sweet 16 that season, an overtime loss at Arizona and a double-overtime defeat at Virginia.

Western very well could have advanced to the NCAA Tournament if Lee didn't injure his wrist right before the 2006 Sun Belt Tournament. As it was, the short-handed Hilltoppers reached the championship game before running out of steam against South Alabama. The NCAA Tournament must seem close enough to taste. Horn believes there's a simple recipe.

''Our best players have to play hard consistently,'' he said. A healthy Lee in his senior season sounds like the makings of a good script for a March Madness breakthrough story, though WKU still looks like a team that would rather not go through many physical frontcourts come tournament time. But trying to put the dagger in Lee's career will be a chore for any league opponent.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: A

BENCH/DEPTH: A-

FRONTCOURT: B

INTANGIBLES: A