1942–43 Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers basketball
KAIC Champions
NIT Tournament, Quarterfinal
ConferenceKentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record24–3 (6–1 KIAC)
Head coach
Assistant coachTed Hornback
Home arenaHealth & Physical Education Building

The 1942–43 Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College(now known as Western Kentucky University) during the 1942-43 NCAA basketball season. The team was led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and Helms Foundation All-American center Oran McKinney.[1] The Hilltoppers won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and were invited to the 1943 National Invitation Tournament.[2] During this period, the NIT was considered to be the premiere college basketball tournament, with the winner being recognized as the national champion.[3][4] Dero Downing and Wallace “Buck” Sydnor were team captains and Don “Duck” Ray led the team in scoring. There were several military teams on Western Kentucky's schedule, which was not uncommon during World War II.[5]

Schedule

[6]

Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site
city, state
Regular Season
12/4/1942*
Western Carolina W 64–35  1–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/8/1942*
at Fort Knox W 54–46  2–0
 
Fort Knox, KY
12/11/1942*
at Southeast Missouri W 50–33  3–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/12/1942
at Campbellsville W 55–15  4–0
 
Campbellsville, KY
12/12/1942
at Lindsey Wilson W 74–15  5–0
 
Columbia, KY
12/18/1942*
at Southern Illinois W 57–30  6–0
Davies Gym 
Carbondale, IL
1/6/1943*
Fort Knox W 72–24  7–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/9/1943
at Eastern Kentucky W 61–47  8–0
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
1/13/1943*
Fort Knox Company E W 86–30  9–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/15/1943*
at Tennessee Tech W 60–24  10–0
Memorial Gymnasium 
Cookeville, TN
1/20/1943
Murray State W 56–33  11–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/23/1943
Eastern Kentucky W 62–38  12–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/31/1943*
at St. Bonaventure W 65–32  13–0
Butler Gym 
Allegany, NY
2/3/1943*
at CCNY W 69–49  14–0
 
New York, NY
2/6/1943*
at La Salle W 52–44  15–0
Wister Hall 
Philadelphia, PA
2/10/1943
Campbellsville W 86–24  16–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/10/1943*
Berry Field W 79–23  17–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/13/1943
at DePaul L 40–44  17–1
University Auditorium 
Chicago, IL
2/15/1943*
at Evansville W 52–48  18–1
 
Evansville, IN
2/17/1943
at Murray State L 28–41  18–2
Lovett Auditorium 
Murray, KY
2/20/1943*
Goldman Field W 69–19  20–2
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/23/1943*
Evansville W 62–39  21–2
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1943 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament
2/26/1943
vs. Berea
KIAC Tournament Quarterfinal
W 54–37  22–2
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
2/27/1943
vs. Murray State
KIAC Tournament Semifinal
W 42–39  23–2
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
2/27/1943
vs. Morehead State
KIAC Tournament Final
W 46–35  24–2
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
1943 National Invitation Tournament
3/22/1943*
vs. Fordham
NIT Quarterfinal
L 58–60  24–3
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

References

  1. Harrison, Lowell (1987). Western Kentucky University. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813116204.
  2. 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  3. "NCAA Tournament History". Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2013. The tournament now determines the national champion, but that wasn't always the case. Until the 1950s, the NIT was just as big a tournament as the NCAA, and teams often chose to enter the NIT and bypass the NCAA tourney
  4. Davies, Richard O. (2007). "Sports in American Life: A History." Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated. p. 155. ISBN 9781405106474
  5. Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co.
  6. Western Kentucky Men's Basketball Archive, retrieved 14 May 2020


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