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1964–65 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team

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1964–65 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball
NIT Tournament, Quarterfinal
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Record18–9 (10–4 OVC)
Head coach
Assistant coachGene Rhodes
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
Seasons

The 1964–65 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College (now known as Western Kentucky University) during the 1964-65 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by first year coach John Oldham and Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year Clem Haskins.[1] After two losing seasons, WKSC finished second in the OVC and were invited to the 1965 National Invitation Tournament.[2]

Haskins scored a school record 55 points against Middle Tennessee on January 30. He was joined on the all-conference team by fellow sophomore Dwight Smith; Haskins and Steve Cunningham were selected to the OVC Tournament team.[3]

Cultural Relevance

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Haskins and Smith broke the color barrier this season at Western Kentucky, becoming the first African Americans to play Hilltopper basketball.[4] They were recruited two years earlier by the previous, longtime coach Edgar Diddle; NCAA rules at the time prohibited freshman from playing varsity sports, so this was their first year of eligibility.[5]

Schedule

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[6]

Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site
city, state
Regular Season
12/1/1964*
Belmont L 50–52  0–1
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/5/1964*
at Bowling Green W 90–77  1–1
Anderson Arena 
Bowling Green, OH
12/8/1964*
at Vanderbilt L 79–94  1–2
Memorial Gymnasium 
Nashville, TN
12/12/1964*
Chattanooga W 94–78  2–2
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/15/1964*
Carson–Newman W 73–54  3–2
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/17/1964*
Texas Wesleyan W 118–87  4–2
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
12/21/1964
vs. Middle Tennessee
OVC Tournament
W 100–65  5–2
Convention Center 
Louisville, KY
12/22/1964
vs. Eastern Kentucky
OVC Tournament Semifinal
W 82–73  6–2
Convention Center 
Louisville, KY
12/23/1964
vs. Murray State
OVC Tournament Final
L 68–77  6–3
Convention Center 
Louisville, KY
1/5/1965
Murray State W 71–70 OT 7–3 (1-0)
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/9/1965
at Tennessee Tech W 87–78  8–3 (2-0)
Memorial Gymnasium 
Cookeville, TN
1/11/1965
at East Tennessee W 70–69  9–3 (3-0)
Brooks Gymnasium 
Johnson City, TN
1/16/1965
Eastern Kentucky L 70–95  9–4 (3-1)
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/18/1965
Morehead State W 93–65  10–4 (4-1)
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/23/1965*
Union (TN) W 94–69  11–4
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
1/30/1965
Middle Tennessee
Haskins scores 55 points
W 134–84  12–4 (5-1)
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/1/1965
at Austin Peay W 78–74  13–4 (6-1)
Memorial Health Gymnasium 
Clarksville, TN
2/6/1965
East Tennessee W 96–79  14–4 (7-1)
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/8/1965
Tennessee Tech W 92–83  15–4 (8-1)
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/13/1965
at Morehead State L 55–66  15–5 (8-2)
Wetherby Gymnasium 
Morehead, KY
2/18/1965
at Eastern Kentucky L 69–80  15–6 (8-3)
Alumni Coliseum 
Richmond, KY
2/18/1965
at Middle Tennessee W 94–83  16–6 (9-3)
Alumni Memorial Gym 
Murfreesboro, TN
2/20/1965*
at La Salle L 77–91  16–7
Palestra 
Philadelphia, PA
2/22/1965
Austin Peay W 116–77  17–7 (10-3)
E. A. Diddle Arena 
Bowling Green, KY
2/27/1965
at Murray State L 91–103  17–8 (10-4)
Racer Arena 
Murray, KY
1965 National Invitation Tournament
3/13/1965*
vs. Fordham
NIT First Round
W 57–53  18–8
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
3/16/1965*
vs. Army
NIT Quarterfinal
L 54–58  18–9
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

References

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  1. ^ Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co.
  2. ^ "(PDF) - Ohio Valley Conference" (PDF). ovcsports.com. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  3. ^ "2019-20 Hilltopper Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Western Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  4. ^ Harrison, Lowell (1987). Western Kentucky University. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813116204.
  5. ^ Thamel, Pete (March 27, 2008). "Recalling Forward Thinking at Western Kentucky". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  6. ^ 1964-65 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 11 May 2020