# 1964–65 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team

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. After two losing seasons, WKSC finished second in the OVC and were invited to the 1965 National Invitation Tournament.
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.

## Cultural Relevance

Haskins and Smith broke the color barrier this season at Western Kentucky, becoming the first African Americans to play Hilltopper basketball. 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.

## Schedule

| 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. |||||