1949–50 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1949–50 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College (now known as Western Kentucky University) during the 1949-50 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and All-American center Bob Lavoy.[1] The team then won the Ohio Valley Conference season championship and appeared in the 1950 National Invitation Tournament.[2] During this period, the NIT was considered to be on par with the NCAA tournament.[3][4] Lavoy and Johnny Givens were named to the All-Conference team, Lavoy was also selected to the OVC All-Tournament team.[5]

1949–50 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball
Ohio Valley Conference Champion
NIT Tournament, Quarterfinals
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Ranking
APNo. 8
Record25–6 (8–0 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
12/3/1949
at Morehead State W 58–47  1–0 (1-0)
Button Auditorium 
Morehead, KY
12/5/1949*
Kentucky Wesleyan W 89–45  2–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/8/1949*
vs. Bowling Green State W 78–57  3–0
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
12/10/1949*
at Xavier W 59–57  4–0
Cincinnati Gardens 
Cincinnati, OH
12/13/1949*
Georgetown (KY) W 67–48  5–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/17/1949*
at Cincinnati L 54–55  5–1
Cincinnati Gardens 
Cincinnati, OH
12/26/1949*
at Canisius W 74–61  6–1
 
Buffalo, NY
12/29/1948*
vs. Long Island L 66–73  6–2
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
1/2/1950*
at La Salle L 69–80  6–3
Wister Hall 
Philadelphia, PA
1/7/1950
Eastern Kentucky W 86–61  7–3 (2-0)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/9/1950*
Xavier W 63–51  8–3
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/11/1950*
No. 14 at Louisville L 59–70  8–4
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
1/14/1950
No. 14 at Murray State W 58–52  9–4 (3-0)
Carr Health Building 
Murray, KY
1/16/1950*
No. 14 No. 12 Cincinnati W 84–59  10–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/18/1950
No. 17 at Evansville W 73–69  11–4 (4-0)
 
Evansville, IN
1/21/1950
No. 17 at Eastern Kentucky W 69–51  12–4 (5-0)
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
1/27/1950*
No. 17 at Miami W 66–61  13–4
 
Miami, FL
1/28/1950*
No. 17 at Miami W 78–61  14–4
 
Miami, FL
1/30/1950*
No. 17 at Tampa W 79–59  15–4
 
Tampa, FL
1/31/1950*
No. 14 No. 15 Louisville W 84–62  16–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/7/1950
No. 11 Morehead State W 77–65  17–4 (6-0)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/9/1950*
No. 11 vs. Bowling Green State W 103–87  18–4
Cleveland Arena 
Cleveland, OH
2/11/1950
No. 11 Murray State W 54–50  19–4 (7-0)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/15/1950*
No. 9 Miami W 79–57  20–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/16/1950*
No. 9 Miami W 83–47  21–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/18/1950
No. 9 Evansville W 81–56  22–4 (8-0)
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1950 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament
2/24/1950
No. 9 vs. Tennessee Tech
OVC Tournament
W 79–60  23–4
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
2/25/1950
No. 9 vs. Murray State
OVC Tournament Semifinal
W 58–54  24–4
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
2/26/1950
No. 7 vs. Eastern Kentucky
OVC Tournament Final
L 50–62  24–5
Jefferson County Armory 
Louisville, KY
1950 National Invitation Tournament
3/11/1950*
No. 8 vs. Niagara
NIT
W 79–72  25–5
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
3/13/1950*
No. 8 vs. No. 9 St. John's (NY)
NIT Quarterfinal
L 60–69  25–6
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 OVC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 4 May 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. 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  6. Western Kentucky Men's Basketball Archive, retrieved 14 May 2020


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