Western Ky Basketball Roster: Who’s In and Who’s Out

The Western Kentucky basketball roster is starting to take shape for the upcoming season Here’s a look at who’s in and who’s out.

Introducing the New Roster

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have a new look this season, with a number of familiar faces departing and a host of newcomers taking their place. Here’s a look at who’s in and who’s out for the 2019-2020 Season

Who’s In:

G Darius Thompson (Graduate Transfer from Virginia Tech)
F Charles Bassey (Freshman)
G Josh Anderson (Freshman)
G TJ McMahon (Sophomore)
F Carson Williams (Junior)

Who’s Out:
Buckley, Stewart, Love, Jones III, Nored, Morant
(All departed senior starters from last season)

Who’s In

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will have a new look this season as they replace a number of Key Players from last year’s roster. Head Coach Rick Stansbury will have his work cut out for him as he looks to blend a mix of newcomers and returnees into a cohesive unit.

So who’s in and who’s out for the Hilltoppers this season? Let’s take a look:

In:

PG Lamontray Harris (So.)
SG Taveion Hollingsworth (Fr.)
SF Jared Savage (Fr.)
PF Mitchell Robinson (Fr.)
C Eli Johnson (Jr.)

Out:

PG Mike Brown (Graduated)
SG Photios Frangopoulos (Left team)
SF Dwight Coleby (Graduated)

Who’s Out

The wing players will not be returning to the Western Kentucky men’s basketball team for the 2020-21 season:

-Darious Thompson
-Taveion Hollingsworth
-Jared Savage
-Matt Horton

New Additions to the Team

The following is a list of the new additions to the Western Kentucky University men’s Basketball Roster for the 2019-20 season

Head coach Rick Stansbury has added five newcomers to the Hilltopper program. WKU has two junior college transfers, two graduate transfers and one freshman who will join the team this season.

Junior college transfers:

* Charles Bassey – A 6-11, 245-pound center from Aspire Academy in Louisville, Ky., Bassey was rated as a five-star recruit and the No. 1 Junior College player in the country by ESPN.com. He averaged 14.6 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game as a sophomore at Aspire Academy last season.

* Taveion Hollingsworth – A 6-2, 185-pound guard from Lexington, Ky., Hollingsworth was rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports.com. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a sophomore at John A. Logan College last season.

Graduate transfers:

* Matt Little – A 6-8, 235-pound forward from Memphis, Tenn., Little played two seasons at Loyola Chicago before transferring to WKU. He will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Hilltoppers and can play immediately this season. Little averaged 3.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in 29 games (two starts) last season at Loyola Chicago while shooting 58 percent from the field (29 of 50).

Key Departures from the Team

There are several key departures from the team this season. Mike Conley who was the team’s leading scorer, is gone, as is big man David West Other significant departures include point guard Jarrett Jack and shooting guard Wayne Ellington. These players will be sorely missed, but the team does have some solid replacements.

How the New Roster Will Impact the Team’s Performance

The Western Kentucky men’s Basketball team has a new roster for the 2019-2020 season Here’s a look at how the new roster will impact the team’s performance.

The most notable change is at point guard where freshman Jordan Lanier will take over for graduate transfer Lamontray Harris. Lanier is a four-star recruit who was ranked in the top 150 of his class by ESPN. He’s a big, physical guard who can score and distribute the ball.

At shooting guard Junior College transfer Taveion Hollingsworth will take over for departing senior Dwight Coleby. Hollingsworth is a long, athletic wing who can shoot and attack the basket. He should be an instant impact player for the Hilltoppers.

The small forward position remains unchanged, with junior Jared Savage returning as the starter. Savage is a versatile player who can shoot, rebound, and play defense He’ll be counted on to provide leadership for this young team.

At Power Forward redshirt sophomore Josh Anderson will take over for departing senior Moustapha Diagne. Anderson is a 6’10” forward with good rebounding and shot-blocking ability. He’ll need to step up his scoring production this season to help replace Diagne’s production.

Center Dwan Caldwell returns as the starter for his senior season. Caldwell is a big body in the middle who can rebound and block shots He’ll be counted on to provide leadership and stability in the post for this young team.

The Coaching Staff’s Thoughts on the New Roster

Now that the final roster for the Western Kentucky University men’s basketball team has been released, the Coaching Staff has offered their thoughts on who will make an impact this season.

“We are really excited about the guys we have coming in,” said head coach Rick Stansbury. “We think they have a chance to be special.”

The Hilltoppers will have five new players on the roster this season, including four freshmen. Coach Stansbury believes that all of them will be able to contribute right away.

“I think all of our newcomers have a chance to come in and make an immediate impact,” he said. “We think they are all guys that can come in and help us win games.”

One player who will not be on the roster is junior forward Josh Anderson, who decided to transfer to another school. Coach Stansbury believes that Anderson made a mistake and that he could have been a big part of the team’s success this season.

“Josh is a good kid and we wish him nothing but the best,” said Stansbury. “But I think he made a mistake in leaving Western Kentucky.”

The Fans’ Reaction to the New Roster

The fans of the Western Kentucky Basketball team have had mixed reactions to the recent roster changes. Some are excited to see new faces on the team, while others are sad to see some of their favorite players leaving.

either way, all fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the season to see how the new team will perform.

Western Ky’s Schedule for the Upcoming Season

The Kentucky basketball team has finalized its schedule for the upcoming season Western Kentucky will play 29 regular season games, including 17 conference games and 12 non-conference games. The Hilltoppers will play in the Conference USA tournament and the NCAA tournament

Western Kentucky’s conference opponents include Middle Tennessee Marshall, UAB, Charlotte,Old Dominion, UTEP, Southern Miss Florida Atlantic North Texas Louisiana Tech Rice and Tulsa. The Hilltoppers’ non-conference opponents include Murray State Louisville, Memphis, Belmont, Lipscomb, Troy, Austin Peay and Northern Kentucky.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Western Kentucky Basketball roster for the 2020-2021 Season is:

In:
Deng Adel
Brandon Johnson
Charles Bassey
Taveion Hollingsworth
Luke Frampton
Jared Wilson-Frame
Matt Horton
Ousman Krubally
Jewuan Long
Josh Anderson

Out: Myrek LeJunior