1939–40 Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers basketball
SIAA Champions
KAIC Champions
NCAA Tournament, Elite Eight
ConferenceKentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record24–6 (7–2 KIAC)
Head coach
Assistant coachTed Hornback
Home arenaHealth & Physical Education Building

The 1939–40 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 1939-40 NCAA basketball season. The team was led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and All-American center Carlisle Towery.[1] The Hilltoppers won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships, and received an invitation to the 1940 NCAA basketball tournament.[2] This was the first team from Kentucky to participate in the NCAA tournament[3] Herb Ball and Howard “Tip” Downing were selected to the All-SIAA team, while Towery made the All-KIAC Team.[4]

Schedule

[5]

Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site
city, state
Regular Season
12/9/1939*
Culver–Stockton W 47–35  1–0
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/15/1939*
at Bradley L 38–39  1–1
Peoria Armory 
Peoria, IL
12/18/1939*
at St. Ambrose W 40–32  2–1
 
Davenport, IA
12/18/1939*
at Southern Illinois L 32–38  2–2
Davies Gym 
Carbondale, IL
12/19/1939*
at Southeast Missouri W 39–33  3–2
Houck Field House 
Cape Girardeau, MO
12/22/1939*
Washington and Lee L 34–44  3–3
 
Lexington, VA
1/2/1940*
Xavier W 40–39  4–3
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/6/1940
at Cumberland (KY) W 40–30  5–3
 
Williamsburg, KY
1/8/1940*
Evansville W 52–45  6–3
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/12/1940*
at Tennessee Tech W 41–29  7–3
Memorial Gymnasium 
Cookeville, TN
1/13/1940*
at Middle Tennessee W 60–26  8–3
 
Murfreesboro, TN
1/17/1940
at Louisville W 55–40  9–3
Belknap Gymnasium 
Louisville, KY
1/20/1940
Murray State W 39–30  10–3
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/27/1940
Eastern Kentucky L 32–45  10–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/29/1940
Morehead State W 44–34  11–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/2/1940
at Eastern Kentucky W 53–33  12–4
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
2/3/1940
at Berea W 46–28  13–4
 
Berea, KY
2/6/1940*
Tennessee Tech W 38–28  14–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/9/1940
Louisville W 54–40  15–4
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/10/1940
at Murray State L 30–36  15–5
Lovett Auditorium 
Murray, KY
2/13/1940*
at Evansville W 55–36  16–5
 
Evansville, IN
2/16/1940*
Vanderbilt W 36–25  17–5
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/17/1940*
Middle Tennessee W 76–41  18–5
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1940 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament
2/23/1940
vs. Union (KY)
KIAC Tournament
W 44–39  19–5
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
2/24/1940
vs. Georgetown (KY)
KIAC Tournament Semifinal
W 45–39  20–5
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
2/24/1940
vs. Morehead State
KIAC Tournament Final
W 36–33  21–5
Weaver Gymnasium 
Richmond, KY
1940 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament
3/1/1940
Wofford
SIAA Tournament
W 55–21  22–5
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
3/2/1940
Murray State
SIAA Tournament Semifinal
W 25–23  23–5
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
3/2/1940
Louisiana Normal
SIAA Tournament Final
W 39–33  24–5
Health & Phys Ed Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1940 NCAA basketball tournament
3/23/1940*
vs. Duquesne
NCAA Elite Eight
L 29–30  24–6
Butler Fieldhouse 
Indianapolis, IN
*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, Sports Reference, retrieved 15 May 2020
  4. Harrison, Lowell (1987). Western Kentucky University. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813116204.
  5. Western Kentucky Men's Basketball Archive, retrieved 14 May 2020


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