# 1942–43 Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1942–43 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 1942-43 NCAA basketball season. The team was led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and Helms Foundation All-American center Oran McKinney. The Hilltoppers won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and were invited to the 1943 National Invitation Tournament. During this period, the NIT was considered to be the premiere college basketball tournament, with the winner being recognized as the national champion. Dero Downing and Wallace “Buck” Sydnor were team captains and Don “Duck” Ray led the team in scoring. There were several military teams on Western Kentucky's schedule, which was not uncommon during World War II.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Opponent | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season |||||
| 12/4/1942* | Western Carolina | W 64–35 | 1–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/8/1942* | at Fort Knox | W 54–46 | 2–0 | Fort Knox, KY |
| 12/11/1942* | at Southeast Missouri | W 50–33 | 3–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/12/1942 | at Campbellsville | W 55–15 | 4–0 | Campbellsville, KY |
| 12/12/1942 | at Lindsey Wilson | W 74–15 | 5–0 | Columbia, KY |
| 12/18/1942* | at Southern Illinois | W 57–30 | 6–0 | Davies Gym Carbondale, IL |
| 1/6/1943* | Fort Knox | W 72–24 | 7–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/9/1943 | at Eastern Kentucky | W 61–47 | 8–0 | Weaver Gymnasium Richmond, KY |
| 1/13/1943* | Fort Knox Company E | W 86–30 | 9–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/15/1943* | at Tennessee Tech | W 60–24 | 10–0 | Memorial Gymnasium Cookeville, TN |
| 1/20/1943 | Murray State | W 56–33 | 11–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/23/1943 | Eastern Kentucky | W 62–38 | 12–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/31/1943* | at St. Bonaventure | W 65–32 | 13–0 | Butler Gym Allegany, NY |
| 2/3/1943* | at CCNY | W 69–49 | 14–0 | New York, NY |
| 2/6/1943* | at La Salle | W 52–44 | 15–0 | Wister Hall Philadelphia, PA |
| 2/10/1943 | Campbellsville | W 86–24 | 16–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/10/1943* | Berry Field | W 79–23 | 17–0 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/13/1943 | at DePaul | L 40–44 | 17–1 | University Auditorium Chicago, IL |
| 2/15/1943* | at Evansville | W 52–48 | 18–1 | Evansville, IN |
| 2/17/1943 | at Murray State | L 28–41 | 18–2 | Lovett Auditorium Murray, KY |
| 2/20/1943* | Goldman Field | W 69–19 | 20–2 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/23/1943* | Evansville | W 62–39 | 21–2 | Health & Phys Ed Building Bowling Green, KY |
| 1943 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament |||||
| 2/26/1943 | vs. Berea KIAC Tournament Quarterfinal | W 54–37 | 22–2 | Weaver Gymnasium Richmond, KY |
| 2/27/1943 | vs. Murray State KIAC Tournament Semifinal | W 42–39 | 23–2 | Weaver Gymnasium Richmond, KY |
| 2/27/1943 | vs. Morehead State KIAC Tournament Final | W 46–35 | 24–2 | Weaver Gymnasium Richmond, KY |
| 1943 National Invitation Tournament |||||
| 3/22/1943* | vs. Fordham NIT Quarterfinal | L 58–60 | 24–3 | Madison Square Garden New York, NY |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. |||||