Bowling Green, Ky. — Following its run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, the Western Kentucky University basketball program ended the season ranked 22nd in the final ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll released this week.

The Hilltoppers — who finished 29-7 overall, tying a Sun Belt Conference record for victories while falling one shy of matching the school standard — received 139 points to become one of two teams who were unranked at the end of the regular season to move into the top 25. It’s the first time WKU has been ranked since opening the 2002-03 campaign 19th in the Associated Press poll and 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today rankings.

The Toppers last appeared in a final poll when they were 19th in the AP rankings at the conclusion of the previous season.

WKU, which was seeded 12th in the West Region, entered the postseason last month receiving votes in both polls, but defeated then-No. 14 Drake 101-99 on Ty Rogers’ three-pointer at the buzzer in overtime in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and No. 13 seed San Diego 72-63 two days later to advance to the second weekend of the event for the first time since 1993. The Hilltoppers would cut a 21-point deficit to four in the second half against top-seeded UCLA before falling 88-78 to the eventual region champions in the Sweet 16.

In addition to winning 19 of their final 21 contests, the Toppers posted a 16-2 mark to share the Sun Belt Conference East Division title. WKU earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament with three victories in three days in Mobile, Ala.