WKU basketball unveils All-Century Team

WKU alum guard Courtney Lee makes an between-the-legs dunk late in the Big Red vs. Big Blue alumni in Diddle Arena on Tuesday night. The red team defeated the blue team 112-97.

Alec Jessie

WKU men’s basketball released an All-Century Team roster that features both players who share the program’s all-time scoring record, a coach that developed 13 All-Americans and more historic figures on Monday.

It took months of voting in order to sort out the members, but the program decided on 15 members to represent the team.

Among the voters that selected this team were fans, members of the athletic department, WKU basketball Athletic Hall of Famers, active W-Club basketball lettermen and the W-Club Board of Directors.

The 15 WKU basketball alumni on the team are Johnny Britt, Darel Carrier, Ralph Crosthwaite, Tellis Frank, Clem Haskins, Kannard Johnson, Courtney Lee, Chris Marcus, Tom Marshall, Jim McDaniels, John Oldham, Bobby Rascoe, Dwight Smith, Art Spoelstra, Carlisle Towery. E.A. Diddle serves as the head coach to this legendary group.

Britt was a guard from 1973-76. Britt is in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame and is seventh in WKU’s scoring ranks.

Carrier was a guard from 1962-64. Carrier is also in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame and was on the All-Ohio Valley Conference Team each year as a Hilltopper.

Crosthwaite was a center in 1955 and from 1957-59. Crosthwaite is the only player in program history to lead the Hilltoppers in points and rebounds all four seasons. He is third on the program’s scoring and rebounding list.

Frank was a forward from 1984-87. Frank is in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame and was a first-round pick in the 1987 NBA Draft.

Haskins was a forward from 1965-67. Haskins was a consensus All-American in 1967. He had his jersey retired and is a WKU Athletic Hall of Famer.

Johnson was a forward from 1984-87. He is in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame and is eighth on the all-time scoring list.

Lee was a guard from 2005-08. Lee is tied for program’s all-time scoring record and is still an active NBA player for the New York Knicks.

Marcus was a center from 2000-02. Marcus was the Sun Belt Player of the Year in 2001 and Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in both 2000 and 2001.

Marshall was a center from 1951-54. Marshall was a consensus All-American in 1954 and has his jersey retired by the university.

McDaniels was a center from 1969-71. He was a consensus All-American in 1971. He is one of the most decorated Hilltoppers of all-time, having his jersey retired, being inducted in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame and account for 1,000+ points and rebounds. McDaniels shares the program’s all-time scoring record with Lee. 

Oldham was a guard in 1943 and from 1947-49. Oldham had his jersey retired and is in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame. He’s also the namesake of the main court in Diddle Arena. 

Rascoe was a guard from 1960-62. Rascoe ranks 10th on the all-time scoring list and is in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Smith was a guard from 1965-67. Smith was on the OVC 40th Anniversary Team 1988 and was the top-rebounding guard in NCAA Division I basketball during his career.

Spoelstra was a center from 1952-54. Spoelstra was the first Kentucky collegiate player to score 50 points in a game and ranks second on the program’s all-time rebounding leaders list.

Towery was a center from 1939-41. Towery has his jersey retired and is in the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Among the voters that selected this team were fans, members of the athletic department, WKU Basketball Athletic Hall of Famers, active W-Club basketball lettermen and the W-Club Board of Directors.

Sports reporter Alec Jessie can be reached at 502-648-7190 and [email protected]. Follow Alec on Twitter at @Alec_Jessie.