# 1966–67 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1966–67 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky University during the 1966-67 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by coach John Oldham and consensus All-American player Clem Haskins. WKU won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and season championship, as well as the conference's automatic bid to the 1967 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, where they lost to the eventual runner-up, Dayton, in overtime. The conference tournament was held in December and had no impact on the conference standing, the conference bid to the NCAA was awarded to the season champion. The Hilltoppers had the misfortune of having their star player, Haskins, break his wrist during the February 6th game against Murray State. He missed the next 5 games but returned to finish the season playing in a cast, which limited his effectiveness.
Haskins was OVC Player of the Year and was joined on the All-Conference team by Wayne Chapman, Dwight Smith, and Greg Smith; Haskins, Chapman, and Dwight Smith were also named to the OVC Tournament team. This team was one of the most talented in school history with several players being drafted by the NBA and ABA including Haskins, Dwight Smith, Greg Smith, Chapman, and Butch Kaufman.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| 12/1/1966* | No. 8 | Vanderbilt | L 70–76 | 0–1 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/3/1966* | No. 8 | at Memphis State | W 52–44 | 1–1 | Mid-South Coliseum Memphis, TN |
| 12/10/1966* | | Tampa | W 123–57 | 2–1 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/15/1966* | | Pan American | W 78–64 | 3–1 | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 12/17/1966* | | at Butler | W 81–68 | 4–1 | Hinkle Fieldhouse Indianapolis, IN |
| 12/19/1966 | | vs. Murray State OVC Tournament | W 94–83 | 5–1 | Convention Center Louisville, KY |
| 12/20/1966 | | vs. Morehead State OVC Tournament Semifinal | W 80–77 $^{OT}$ | 6–1 | Convention Center Louisville, KY |
| 12/21/1966 | | vs. East Tennessee OVC Tournament Final | W 72–59 | 7–1 | Convention Center Louisville, KY |
| 12/27/1966* | | vs. Holy Cross Hurricane Classic | W 90–84 | 8–1 | Miami Beach Convention Center Miami Beach, FL |
| 12/28/1966* | | at Miami Hurricane Classic | W 94–89 | 9–1 | Miami Beach Convention Center Miami Beach, FL |
| 1/7/1967 | | at Tennessee Tech | W 91–80 | 10–1 (1-0) | Memorial Gymnasium Cookeville, TN |
| 1/9/1967 | | at East Tennessee | W 63–61 | 11–1 (2-0) | Brooks Gymnasium Johnson City, TN |
| 1/14/1967 | | Eastern Kentucky | W 116–71 | 12–1 (3-0) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/16/1967 | | Morehead State | W 100–69 | 13–1 (4-0) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1/21/1967* | | at La Salle | W 95–86 | 14–1 | Palestra Philadelphia, PA |
| 1/30/1967 | No. 8 | at Austin Peay | W 101–59 | 15–1 (5-0) | Memorial Health Gymnasium Clarksville, TN |
| 2/4/1967 | No. 8 | at Middle Tennessee | W 95–62 | 16–1 (6-0) | Alumni Memorial Gym Murfreesboro, TN |
| 2/6/1967 | No. 8 | Murray State Haskins injured | W 88–79 $^{OT}$ | 17–1 (7-0) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/11/1967 | No. 6 | East Tennessee | W 65–56 | 18–1 (8-0) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/13/1967 | No. 6 | Tennessee Tech | W 80–71 | 19–1 (9-0) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 2/18/1967 | No. 5 | at Morehead State | W 89–70 | 20–1 (10-0) | Wetherby Gymnasium Morehead, KY |
| 2/20/1967 | No. 5 | at Eastern Kentucky | W 71–62 | 21–1 (11-0) | Alumni Coliseum Richmond, KY |
| 2/25/1967 | No. 3 | at Murray State | L 69–75 | 21–2 (11-1) | Racer Arena Murray, KY |
| 2/27/1967 | No. 3 | Austin Peay Haskins returns | W 116–76 | 22–2 (12-1) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 3/4/1967 | No. 6 | Middle Tennessee | W 55–46 | 23–2 (13-1) | E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, KY |
| 1967 NCAA University Division basketball tournament ||||||
| 3/11/1967* | No. 6 | vs. Dayton Mideast Region First Round | L 67–69 $^{OT}$ | 23–3 | Memorial Coliseum Lexington, KY |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||