Busting Brackets
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Sun Belt Basketball: Top 10 head coaches of the century (2000-20)

By Joey Loose

PHOENIX - MARCH 27: Head coach Darrin Horn of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers yells at his team during the second half of the West Regional Sweet 16 game against the UCLA Bruins at the U.S. Airways Center on March 27, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
PHOENIX - MARCH 27: Head coach Darrin Horn of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers yells at his team during the second half of the West Regional Sweet 16 game against the UCLA Bruins at the U.S. Airways Center on March 27, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KY – DECEMBER 19: Head coach Ray Harper of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY – DECEMBER 19: Head coach Ray Harper of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

5. Ray Harper – Western Kentucky (2012-2014)

While his time in the conference was brief, Harper sure took advantage with his Hilltoppers program. He’s a coach who’s put together an impressive resume, winning a pair of D2 national titles with Kentucky Wesleyan and a pair of NAIA titles at Oklahoma City. He ascended to the head coaching job at Western Kentucky midway through the 2011-12 season, a decision that was certainly the right one for the program.

Harper finished that 2012 season and led the Hilltoppers to the NCAA Tournament, winning their First Four game as well despite finishing with a losing record. They repeated the feat in 2013, winning another Sun Belt Tournament title. Harper actually recorded his most wins (21) and highest conference finish (2nd) in 2014, but that team couldn’t finish the job in the conference tournament. The Hilltoppers departed for Conference USA following that season.

Finishing 52-35 with a pair of NCAA Tournament bids is clearly fantastic work for any coach. Harper couldn’t replicate that success in the C-USA and today leads Jacksonville State, having already led the Gamecocks to an OVC title in 2017. He made an immediate impact on Western Kentucky and clearly had his Hilltoppers consistently ready for postseason play.