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Western Kentucky fans can relive last year’s run to the Big Dance on DVD

NCAA Basketball Tournament -  Western Kentucky v Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, KY - MARCH 15: The mascot for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers performs against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second round of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center on March 15, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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On February 18 the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers looked dead in the water, having lost 66-61 to South Alabama to fall to 9-18 on the season.

The following day Ken McDonald was replaced as head coach by Ray Harper, and things took off from there.

The Hilltoppers would win six straight games, including four in the Sun Belt tournament, to grab the league’s automatic bid and make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2009.

WKU beat Mississippi Valley State in the first round of the NCAA tournament before falling to eventual national champion Kentucky, but that didn’t erase what was a memorable run.

None of Western Kentucky’s seven wins were by more than seven points, and they needed to come from behind in each of their four Sun Belt tournament victories.

And they trailed Mississippi Valley State by 16 with less than five minutes remaining in their first NCAA tournament game.

On Tuesday WKU fans will be able to relive those 25 days as the documentary “25 Days of Triumph” is being released on DVD and Blu-Ray.

WKU has to replace two of their top five scorers from a season ago (Derrick Gordon transferred to UMass and Kahlil McDonald graduated) but with forward George Fant and guard T.J. Price returning the Hilltoppers have some key contributors they can rely on.

Will they have enough to defend that tournament crown, especially considering the talent at North Texas with forward Tony Mitchell leading the way?

As WKU’s late-season run showed, anything is possible.

Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.