# 1953–54 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1953–54 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College (now known as Western Kentucky University) during the 1953-54 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and consensus All-American, Tom Marshall. The Hilltoppers won the Ohio Valley Conference championship, and were invited to the 1954 National Invitation Tournament, where they were seeded as the number 2 team and advanced to the semifinals. For the NIT consolation game against fourth seeded Niagara, Coach Diddle looked to build experience for the next year’s team, only allowing his freshman and sophomores to play. During this period, the NIT was considered on par with the NCAA tournament. This was one of the finest teams in Western Kentucky history, they led the NCAA in wins and Marshall averaged more than 25 points and nearly 15 rebounds per game, setting school records for scoring and rebounding. Art Spoelstra, Jack Turner and Lynn Cole joined Marshall on the All-Conference and OVC Tournament teams.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| 11/25/1953* | | at Belmont | W 108–75 | 1–0 | Nashville, TN |
| 11/28/1953* | | at Kentucky Wesleyan | W 86–74 | 2–0 | Owensboro Sportscenter Owensboro, KY |
| 12/4/1953* | | Gustavus Adolphus | W 90–73 | 3–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/5/1953* | | Southeastern Louisiana | W 84–60 | 4–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/8/1953 | No. 11 | at Middle Tennessee | W 88–80 | 5–0 (1-0) | Alumni Memorial Gym Murfreesboro, TN |
| 12/12/1953 | No. 11 | Morehead State | W 98–77 | 6–0 (2-0) | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/15/1953* | No. 10 | at Cincinnati | W 74–71 | 7–0 | Cincinnati Gardens Cincinnati, OH |
| 12/17/1953* | No. 10 | vs. Saint Francis (NY) | W 97–67 | 8–0 | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| 12/19/1953* | No. 10 | vs. St. Bonaventure | W 82–76 | 9–0 | Butler Memorial Gym Buffalo, NY |
| 12/28/1953* | No. 6 | vs. Houston Kentucky Invitation Tournament | W 91–61 | 10–0 | Jefferson County Armory Louisville, KY |
| 12/29/1953 | No. 7 | vs. Eastern Kentucky Kentucky Invitation Tournament | W 81–78 | 11–0 | Jefferson County Armory Louisville, KY |
| 12/30/1953* | No. 7 | at Louisville Kentucky Invitation Tournament | W 89–71 | 12–0 | Jefferson County Armory Louisville, KY |
| 1/5/1954 | No. 5 | Middle Tennessee | W 98–67 | 13–0 (3-0) | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/9/1954 | No. 5 | at Murray State | W 57–43 | 14–0 (4-0) | Carr Health Building Murray, KY |
| 1/13/1954* | No. 5 | at No. 17 Dayton | W 79–75 $^{3OT}$ | 15–0 | The Frericks Center Dayton, OH |
| 1/16/1954 | No. 5 | Eastern Kentucky | W 122–78 | 16–0 (5-0) | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/20/1954 | No. 4 | at Tennessee Tech | W 62–51 | 17–0 (6-0) | Memorial Gymnasium Cookeville, TN |
| 1/23/1954* | No. 4 | at Memphis State | W 63–53 | 18–0 | Memorial Fieldhouse Memphis, TN |
| 1/29/1954* | No. 4 | Regis | W 87–72 | 19–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/1/1954* | No. 4 | vs. Bowling Green State | W 94–82 | 20–0 | Jefferson County Armory Louisville, KY |
| 2/4/1954* | No. 4 | at Stetson | W 81–63 | 21–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/6/1954 | No. 4 | at Eastern Kentucky | L 54–63 | 21–1 (6-1) | Weaver Gymnasium Richmond, KY |
| 2/8/1954 | No. 4 | at Morehead State | W 88–75 | 22–1 (7-1) | Button Auditorium Morehead, KY |
| 2/13/1954 | No. 5 | Murray State | W 104–68 | 23–1 (8-1) | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/15/1954* | No. 5 | Kentucky Wesleyan | W 81–65 | 24–1 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/20/1954 | No. 4 | Tennessee Tech | W 108–63 | 25–1 (9-1) | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/22/1954* | No. 4 | Cincinnati | W 92–77 | 26–1 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1954 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament ||||||
| 2/25/1954 | No. 4 | vs. Morehead State OVC Tournament Semifinal | W 97–79 | 27–1 | Jefferson County Armory Louisville, KY |
| 2/26/1954 | No. 4 | vs. Eastern Kentucky OVC Tournament Final | W 85–69 | 28–1 | Jefferson County Armory Louisville, KY |
| 1954 National Invitation Tournament ||||||
| 3/8/1954* | No. 3 (N2) | vs. Bowling Green State NIT Quarterfinal | W 95–81 | 29–1 | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| 3/11/1954* | No. 4 (N2) | vs. No. 6 (N3) Holy Cross NIT Semifinal | L 69–75 | 29–2 | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| 3/13/1954* | No. 4 (N2) | vs. No. 16 (N4) Niagara NIT Consolation | L 65–71 | 29–3 | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||