LIKE IT IS : Hilltoppers coach no stranger to tournament

WALLY HALL

Posted on Thursday, March 27, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/220976/

Long before Selection Sunday, even before the season began, there was a groundswell of hope in New Orleans and around certain southern cities.

This could be the year.

The first time in 15 years that the Sun Belt Conference, once a highly respected basketball conference that now plays football, too, would not be a onebid league.

Conferences get approximately $ 190, 000 per year for six years for each team that makes the tournament. Each victory is another $ 190, 000. The Sun Belt has earned four of the $ 190, 000 units already. So there is more than pride on the line, but there is plenty of that too.

Western Kentucky made it to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 1993, the last time a Sun Belt team advanced that far, and then won a single game in 1995.

That’s it. Since then it has been one and done for the Sun Belt.

There was a common denominator in all three of those tournament victories (other than it was the Hilltoppers playing ). One of the starting guards was a confident young man named Darrin Horn.

Now he’s back in the Sweet 16 as the Hilltoppers’ coach.

So what’s it like getting here as a player and a coach ?

“Players stay high on the great experience, being part of it,” Horn said. “As a coach, what I enjoy most is watching the guys enjoy this tremendous experience.”

Horn returned to Bowling Green in 2003 as the head coach, and it was with a plan.

Yes, it was believed long ago that South Alabama could be a tournament-tough team.

That between what John Pelphrey left behind and what replacement Ronnie Arrow brought with him, the Jaguars had a real shot at being a 2008 Cinderella.

Western Kentucky had a chance, too, but it would be chasing South Alabama, the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt.

Instead, the teams shared the title with 16-2 league records, but the Jags got the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament because they beat Western Kentucky twice.

Middle Tennessee stunned the Jags in the semifinals, and the Hilltoppers went on to win the conference tournament and get the automatic bid. As it turns out, that was likely the only way Western Kentucky was getting invited to the NCAA Tournament.

South Alabama got a No. 10 seed; Western Kentucky got a No. 12 seed.

South Alabama lost its opener to Butler, while Western Kentucky made a buzzer-beating three-pointer to upset Drake 101-99 in overtime.

It was a 25-foot, all-net shot by Ty Rogers, who started the season as a substitute.

You have to have luck to survive and advance.

The Hilltoppers got another break by getting San Diego, a No. 13 seed that stunned Connecticut.

Now they have what appears to be the challenge of a lifetime, facing No. 1 seed UCLA.

(Speaking of luck, the Bruins had the greatest no-call in NCAA Tournament history when a Texas A&M player was fouled — fouled hard — while shooting at the buzzer but there was no whistle. )

UCLA is not a great offensive team. The Bruins like for the offense to be half-court, but they play defense like it was invented there.

The Bruins will try to extend the Hilltoppers from here to Tempe and back.

Yet, talk to Horn and you know without a doubt he is not just happy to be here.

He doesn’t feel like an invited guest to the UCLA Christmas Tournament.

“What’s there to be nervous about ?” he said Wednesday. “Have you seen our team play ? We’re good.”

Not pretty good. Not above average. Good.

He believes that with all his heart.

Just as he did as a Hilltoppers player.

In 1993, Western Kentucky opened the tournament by shocking Penny Hardaway and Memphis, then followed that with a victory over Seton Hall before losing to Florida State.

In 1994 they opened with a loss to Texas, but in 1995 they beat Michigan before falling to Kansas.

In his first season at Western Kentucky, Horn led his team to the NCAA Tournament but lost. Since then he has given the Sun Belt a victory in the NIT and now stands 2-0 in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

It’s his fifth time as a player or coach, and if nothing else, he is not in awe of being here.