1950–51 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team

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1950–51 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball
WKU Hilltoppers wordmark.png
NCBT Tournament, First Round
Conference Ohio Valley Conference
Record19–10 (4–4 OVC)
Head coach
Assistant coachTed Hornback
Home arenaHealth & Physical Education Building
Seasons
  1949–50
1951–52  

The 1950–51 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College (now known as Western Kentucky University) during the 1950-51 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and All-Ohio Valley Conference player Rip Gish. [1] Gish also made the OVC Tournament team. The team participated in the only National Campus Basketball Tournament. [2] This was a new tournament hosted by Bradley University in response to the ongoing point shaving scandal. It was thought that hosting a tournament on a campus site would reduce the opportunity for such scandals. [3]

Schedule

[4]

Date
time, TV
OpponentResultRecordSite
city, state
Regular Season
11/30/1950*
Southeastern Louisiana W 73–59 1–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/5/1950*
Georgetown (KY) W 93–44 2–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/9/1950*
at  Cincinnati L 45–70 2–1
Cincinnati Gardens  
Cincinnati, OH
12/12/1950*
West Texas State W 74–46 3–1
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/14/1950*
Tampa W 103–70 4–1
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/16/1950*
High Point W 77–64 5–1
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/18/1950
at  Morehead State L 63–70 5–2 (0-1)
Button Auditorium 
Morehead, KY
12/26/1950*
at No. 16  La Salle W 73–63 6–2
Wister Hall 
Philadelphia, PA
12/28/1950*
vs. No. 4  Long Island L 70–77 6–3
Madison Square Garden  
New York, NY
12/30/1950*
vs.  St. Bonaventure L 57–62 6–4
Memorial Auditorium 
Buffalo, NY
1/8/1951*
Xavier W 79–62 7–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/10/1951
vs.  Evansville W 75–63 8–4 (1-1)
Owensboro Sportscenter  
Owensboro, KY
1/13/1951
Murray State W 65–56 9–4 (2-1)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/16/1951*
Miami W 89–47 10–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/18/1951
at EvansvilleL 46–77 10–5 (2-2)
 
Evansville, IN
1/20/1951*
vs.  Bowling Green State W 69–68 11–5
Owensboro Sportscenter 
Owensboro, KY
1/26/1951*
at MiamiW 68–64 12–5
 
Miami, FL
1/27/1951*
at TampaW 67–64 13–5
 
Tampa, FL
2/3/1951
at  Eastern Kentucky L 70–84 13–6 (2-3)
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
2/8/1951*
No. 11 CincinnatiW 75–70 14–6
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/10/1951
at Murray StateL 70–77 14–7 (2-4)
Carr Health Building 
Murray, KY
2/14/1951*
Kentucky Wesleyan W 86–62 15–7
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/17/1951
Eastern KentuckyW 84–80 16–7 (3-4)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/19/1951
Morehead StateW 95–73 17–7 (4-4)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1951 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament
2/24/1951
vs. No. 16 Murray State
OVC Tournament Semifinal
L 77–78 17–8
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
2/24/1951
vs. Evansville
OVC Tournament Consolation
W 72–71 18–8
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
Regular Season
2/28/1951*
at  Xavier L 64–67 18–9
Schmidt Fieldhouse  
Cincinnati, OH
3/15/1951*
vs. Bowling Green StateW 78–77 19–9
 
Toledo, OH
1951 National Campus Basketball Tournament
3/27/1951*
at No. 6  Bradley
NCBT Quarterfinal
L 71–75 19–10
Robertson Memorial Field House  
Peoria, IL
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1951–52 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1951–52 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College during the 1951-52 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and leading scorer, forward Tom Marshall. The Hilltoppers won the Ohio Valley Conference season and tournament championships, and were invited to the 1952 National Invitation Tournament. During this period, the NIT was considered on par with the NCAA tournament. Marshall, Art Spoelstra, Gene Rhodes, and Richard White were named to the All-Conference and OVC Tournament teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1942–43 Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers basketball team</span> American college basketball season

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. The Hilltoppers won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and were invited to the 1943 National Invitation Tournament. During this period, the NIT was considered to be the premiere college basketball tournament, with the winner being recognized as the national champion. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960–61 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1960–61 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College during the 1960-61 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and finished in a three-way tie for the Ohio Valley Conference championship. No conference tournament was held, so a playoff was scheduled to determine which team would go to the NCAA tournament. Western Kentucky lost in the playoff to Morehead State. Bobby Rascoe, Charlie Osborne, and Harry Todd were named to the All-Conference Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1954–55 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1954–55 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College during the 1954-55 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle. Western won the Ohio Valley Conference season championship but lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Ralph Crosthwaite and Forest Able were named to the All-Conference and OVC Tournament teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1955–56 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1955–56 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College during the 1955-56 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and leading scorer Forest Able. Western finished in a three-way tie for the Ohio Valley Conference championship. There was no conference tournament, so a playoff was held to determine which team would advance to the NCAA tournament, which was won by Morehead Sate.

References

  1. Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co.
  2. 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  3. "National Campus Tournament 1951". www.luckyshow.org. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  4. "1950-51 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Men 's Schedule and Results". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved November 15, 2023.