1951–52 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1951–52 Western Kentucky 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.[1] The Hilltoppers won the Ohio Valley Conference season and tournament championships, and were invited to the 1952 National Invitation Tournament.[2] During this period, the NIT was considered on par with the NCAA Tournament.[3][4] Marshall, Art Spoelstra, Gene Rhodes, and Richard White were named to the All-Conference and OVC Tournament teams.[5]

1951–52 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
OVC Tournament Champion
Ohio Valley Conference Champion
NIT Tournament, Quarterfinals
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 16
1951–52 record26–5 (11–1 OVC)
Head coach
Assistant coachTed Hornback
Home arenaHealth & Physical Education Building

Schedule

[6]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
Regular Season
11/30/1951*
Southeastern Louisiana W 77–57  1–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/1/1951
Tennessee Tech W 89–62  2–0 (1-0)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/6/1951
at Evansville W 69–56  3–0 (2-0)
 
Evansville, IN
12/8/1951*
Bowling Green State W 89–57  4–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/10/1951
at Morehead State W 65–54  5–0 (3-0)
Button Auditorium 
Morehead, KY
12/15/1951*
at Cincinnati W 76–71  6–0
Cincinnati Gardens 
Cincinnati, OH
12/17/1951*
Central Missouri W 76–56  7–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/19/1951*
No. 16 vs. Xavier W 92–82  8–0
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
12/29/1951*
No. 11 vs. St. Bonaventure L 60–73  8–1
Memorial Auditorium 
Buffalo, NY
1/1/1952*
No. 11 at No. 13 La Salle L 58–67  8–2
Wister Hall 
Philadelphia, PA
1/3/1952*
vs. No. 11 Seton Hall L 65–77  8–3
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
1/12/1952
at Murray State W 77–64  9–3 (4-0)
Carr Health Building 
Murray, KY
1/16/1952
at Tennessee Tech W 64–55  10–3 (5-0)
Memorial Gymnasium 
Cookeville, TN
1/19/1952
Eastern Kentucky W 69–63  11–3 (6-0)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/25/1952*
at Miami W 102–74  12–3
 
Miami, FL
1/28/1952*
at Tampa W 82–77  13–3
 
Tampa, FL
1/30/1952*
Cincinnati W 79–63  14–3
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/2/1952
Marshall W 76–65  15–3 (7-0)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/5/1952
No. 20 at Morehead State W 80–72  16–3 (8-0)
Button Auditorium 
Morehead, KY
2/7/1952*
No. 20 Tampa W 79–70  17–3
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/9/1952
No. 20 at Eastern Kentucky L 62–73  17–4 (8-1)
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
2/12/1952
at Marshall W 86–82  18–4 (9-1)
Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse 
Huntington, WV
2/16/1952
Murray State W 97–63  19–4 (10-1)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/18/1952
Evansville W 92–58  20–4 (11-1)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1952 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament
2/21/1952
vs. Evansville
OVC Tournament
W 83–63  21–4
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
2/22/1952
vs. Marshall
OVC Tournament Semifinal
W 89–74  22–4
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
2/23/1952
vs. Murray State
OVC Tournament Final
W 47–45  23–4
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
Regular Season
2/27/1952*
No. 18 at Kentucky Wesleyan W 94–68  24–4
Owensboro Sportscenter 
Owensboro, KY
3/3/1952*
No. 18 at Bowling Green State W 82–75  25–4
 
Bowling Green, OH
1952 National Invitation Tournament
3/8/1952*
No. 18 vs. No. 17 Louisville
NIT First Round
W 62–59  26–4
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
3/10/1952*
No. 18 vs. No. 15 St. Bonaventure
NIT Quarterfinal
L 69–70  26–5
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

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. "NCAA Tournament History". Retrieved 2013-02-12. 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. 2019-2020 OVC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 4 May 2020
  6. 1953-54 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 12 May 2020


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