Wednesday marked the end of Ray Harper’s tenure as the head coach of the WKU men’s basketball team. Harper’s resignation announcement came alongside the suspensions of three key players – junior guard Fredrick Edmond and freshman guards Marlon Hunter and Chris McNeal – after a University Disciplinary Committee hearing. 

Over the course of Harper’s time at WKU the Hilltoppers have seen both highs and lows. Take a look back at the Herald’s coverage of Ray Harper and his time at the helm of the WKU men’s basketball program with our timeline below.

January 5, 2012 – Head Coach Ken McDonald released as basketball coach, Ray Harper made interim head coach.

• McDonald exits the program with a 67-49 overall record. Harper, an assistant since 2008, was given the interim job.

January 21, 2012 – WKU defeats University of Arkansas-Little Rock 65-53 to give Harper his first win as head coach.

February 19, 2012 – Harper officially hired as WKU’s head coach. 

March 6, 2012 – WKU wins its fourth game in four days, defeating North Texas 74-70 to win the Sun Belt Conference Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

• The Hilltoppers entered the tournament with a No. 7 seed and an 11-18 record. The four-in-four run was punctuated by multiple comeback victories. 

March 13, 2012 – WKU defeats Mississippi Valley State 59-58 in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

• WKU ended the game on a 22-5 run to earn its 18th NCAA tournament victory in program history.

March 20, 2012 – Athletic director Ross Bjork leaves for same position at Ole Miss. 

April 5, 2012 – Guard Derrick Gordon transfers from program. 

• “It is important to me that my family be able to see me play more frequently and for me to be able to visit everyone, including my brother, more regularly, and I believe it is best for me to continue my playing career closer to home,” Gordon said in a statement. Gordon was the first freshman to lead WKU in scoring since the 1972-73 season.

April 12, 2012 – Guard Vinny Zollo transfers from the program.

May 10, 2012 – Todd Stewart is announced as WKU’s new athletic director.

January 22, 2013 – Harper announces that Butler guard Chris Harrison-Docks will transfer to WKU. 

• The transfer of Harrison-Docks was seen as a needed move by the Hilltoppers, as senior guard Jamal Crook was in his last year of eligibility.

February 5, 2013 – Program announces that Texas Tech guard Trency Jackson will be transferring to WKU.

• Jackson would go on to play in 56 games for WKU after transferring from Texas Tech. He averaged 10.3 points per game and shot 37.7 percent from three-point range as a Hilltopper.

February 25, 2015 – Senior forward Teeng Akol is removed from the program due to academic issues.

March 11, 2013 – WKU wins four games in four days for the second consecutive year to win the Sun Belt Championship over Florida International University, earning an NCAA tournament birth. 

March 22, 2013 – WKU’s season ends with a 64-57 loss to the University of Kansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

March 30, 2013 – WKU announces move to Conference USA.

• The move ended WKU’s 31-year tenure in the Sun Belt Conference.

April 15, 2013 – Forward Stephon Drane transfers away from the program. 

May 5, 2013 – Forwards Kene Anyigbo and Eddie Alacantra announce they will transfer from WKU. 

March 15, 2014 – WKU loses in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinals to Louisiana-Lafayette by a final score 73-72.

• The loss marked WKU’s first time missing the NCAA tournament since 2011.

December 12, 2014 – Guard Ayinde Sprewell requests release from WKU.

December 29, 2014 – Harper notches 400th career victory as WKU defeated Alice Lloyd 104-64. 

March 2, 2015 – Four-year starters George Fant and T.J. Price play in last WKU home game, a 77-61 victory over FIU. 

March 12, 2015 – WKU is knocked out of the second round of the Conference USA Tournament at the hands of University of Alabama, Birmingham by a score 53-52.

March 23-25, 2015 – Harrison-Docks is cited for possession of drug paraphernalia; guard D.J. Clayton requests release from WKU.

May 4, 2015 – Guard Brandon Price is cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to wear a seatbelt.

May 6, 2015 – Price announces he is transferring from the program.

May 28, 2015 – Forward Rob Marberry announces he is transferring to Lipscomb University.

June 5, 2015 – Guards DJ Clayton and Avery Patterson announce they are transferring from the program. 

• Multiple transfers leave forward Justin Johnson as only remaining player from 2014-15 freshman class.

October 10, 2015 – Hilltoppers begin 2015-16 season practice with 10 new players on roster.

December 22, 2015 – Harrison-Docks is suspended indefinitely for not meeting expected team standards.

• The suspension lasts one week. Harrison-Docks returns in WKU’s game against Marshall on Jan. 3.

January 24, 2016 – Harrison-Docks is announced as no longer being a member of the team.

• Harrison-Docks would later announce he would transfer to DePaul University for his final season of eligibility. 

March 11, 2016 – Old Dominion defeats WKU in the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament, 89-77.

March 17, 2016 – Harper announces his resignation as head coach. Junior guard Fredrick Edmond and freshman guards Chris McNeal and Marlon Hunter are suspended from the team after a University Disciplinary Hearing on Wednesday.