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1942–43 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team

(Redirected from 1942-43 Wyoming Cowboys men's basketball team)

The 1942–43 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team represented the University of Wyoming in NCAA men's competition in the 1942–43 NCAA college basketball season.[1] The Cowboys won the Mountain States Conference championship and were the first basketball team from the Rocky Mountains to win an NCAA title. Kenny Sailors of Hillsdale, Wyoming averaged 15.5 points per game and Milo Komenich averaged 16.7 points per game in leading the team to the championship.[2] Despite playing just nine home games during the year, the Cowboys won 32 games.[3]

1942–43 Wyoming Cowboys basketball
NCAA tournament National champions
Big Seven regular season champions
ConferenceMountain States Conference
Record31–2 (4-0 Big Seven)
Head coach
Seasons

Schedule

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Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
December 11
 at Fort Warren W 49-33  1-0
  
near the South Platte River
December 11
 at Fort Warren W 53-43  2-0
  
near the South Platte River
December 19
 Fort Warren W 63-40  3-0
  
Laramie, WY
December 23
 at Duquesne L 33-43  3-1
  
Pittsburgh, PA
December 24
 at Albright W 56-42  4-1
  
Reading, PA
December 26
 at La Salle W 56-32  5-1
  
Philadelphia, PA
December 30
 at Saint Francis (PA) W 63-48  6-1
  
Loretto, PA
January 1, 1943
 at Rochester (NY) W 68-44  7-1
  
Rochester, NY
January 2, 1943
 at Lawrence Tech W 78-34  8-1
  
Southfield, MI
January 15, 1943
 at Utah W 66-38  9-1
  
Salt Lake City, UT
January 16, 1943
 at Utah W 68-25  10-1
  
Salt Lake City, UT
January 22, 1943
 at Colorado State W 66-42  11-1
  
Fort Collins, CO
January 23, 1943
 Colorado State W 49-23  12-1
  
Laramie, WY
January 28, 1943
 Regis (CO) W 101-45  13-1
  
Laramie, WY
January 30, 1943
 at Regis (CO) W 86-34  14-1
  
Denver, CO
February 2, 1943
 at Phillips 66ers W 42-41 OT 15-1
  
Bartlesville, OK
February 3, 1943
 at Phillips 66ers W 37-36  16-1
  
Bartlesville, OK
February 12, 1943
 Colorado State W 57-34  17-1
  
Laramie, WY
February 13, 1943
 at Colorado State W 65-40  18-1
  
Fort Collins, CO
February 19, 1943
 Utah W 75-46  19-1
  
Laramie, WY
February 20, 1943
 Utah W 45-31  20-1
  
Laramie, WY
February 25, 1943
 BYU W 53-42  21-1
  
Laramie, WY
February 26, 1943
 BYU W 47-43  22-1
  
Laramie, WY
February 27, 1943
 BYU W 66-43  23-1
  
Laramie, WY
March 16, 1943
 at Howard Payne W 77-40  24-1
  
Brownwood, TX
March 17, 1943
 vs. Colorado Mines W 77-51  25-1
  
Denver, CO
March 18, 1943
 at Poudre Valley W 64-27  26-1
  
 
March 19, 1943
 at Denver Legion L 33-41  26-2
  
Denver, CO
March 20, 1943
 at Denver W 58-45  27-2
  
Denver, CO
March 26, 1943
 vs. Oklahoma
NCAA Quarterfinal 		W 53-50  28-2
 Municipal Auditorium 
Kansas City, MO
March 27, 1943
 vs. Texas
NCAA Semifinal 		W 58-54  29-2
 Municipal Auditorium 
Kansas City, MO
March 30, 1943
 vs. Georgetown
NCAA Championship 		W 46-34  30-2
 Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
April 1, 1943
 at Saint John's (NY)
Red Cross Benefit Game 		W 52-47 OT 31-2
 Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

[4][5][6][7][8][9] [10] [11]

Roster

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Name Position Home Town
Charles Castle Forward Phoenix, AZ
James Collins Guard Laramie
Jimmy Darden Forward Cheyenne
Jack Downey Guard Phoenix, AZ
Vernon Jensen Guard Lyman
Antone Katana Center Rock Springs
Milo Komenich Center Gary, IN
Earl Ray Guard Casper
Jimmie Reese Forward Rock Springs
Lou Roney Guard Powell
Ken Sailors Forward Laramie
Kenneth Tallman Forward Cheyenne
Floyd Volker Forward Casper
Donald Waite Guard Scottsbluff, NE
Jim Weir Forward Green River
Source:[12]

Regular season

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In the fourth game of the season, the Cowboys lost to Duquesne. It would be the last game the Cowboys lost to a college team during the season. Their only other loss was to the Denver Legion team.[3] The Cowboys outscored their opponents by an average of over twenty points per game and was the first Wyoming team to score over 100 points in a game, by beating Regis 101–45.

Postseason

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NCAA tournament

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Main article: 1943 NCAA basketball tournament
  • West regional (Kansas City)
    • Wyoming 53, Oklahoma 50
    • Wyoming 58, Texas 54 (National semifinal)
  • Championship (New York)
Source:[13][14][15][16]

Red Cross game

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St. John's won the eight-team National Invitation Tournament the night before, also at Madison Square Garden, and claimed it was better than Wyoming and that the NIT was a better event than the eight-team NCAA tournament.[17] Ev Shelton talked Ned Irish, the promoter at Madison Square Garden, into hosting a showdown game, with proceeds going to the Red Cross. Two days after winning the NCAA Championship at Madison Square Garden, Wyoming met St. John's in a Red Cross benefit game for the war effort, and the Cowboys won in overtime, 52–47.[17][18][19][20]

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ "Cowboys" is specific to men's sports at Wyoming; women's teams and athletes are "Cowgirls".
  2. ^ My Losing Season: Wyoming @ Utah: Sailors, Ferrin, Mikan and The Great Santini
  3. ^ a b c d e "University of Wyoming Official Athletic Site - Traditions". Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  4. ^ "2023-24 Cowboy Basketball Media Guide". University of Wyoming. p. 145. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  5. ^ "1942-43 Men's Basketball Schedule - Colorado State University Athletics".
  6. ^ "Prospector 1943" (PDF). Colorado Mines. p. 111. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  7. ^ "Men's Basketball 1942-1943 - BYU Athletics". Brigham Young University. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  8. ^ "2023-24 Utah MBB Media Guide Interactive" (PDF). University of Utah. p. 136. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  9. ^ Grundman, Adolph (2004). The Golden Age of Amateur Basketball. University of Nebraska Press. p. 87. ISBN 9780803204720. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  10. ^ Grundman, Adolph (2004). The Golden Age of Amateur Basketball. University of Nebraska Press. p. 88. ISBN 9780803204720. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "1942-43 Wyoming Cowboys Men's Schedule and Results". Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  12. ^ "2011–12 Wyoming Cowboys media guide, pg. 115" (PDF). University of Wyoming Athletics. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
  13. ^ "RotoWire Fantasy Football, Baseball, Basketball and More".
  14. ^ "Georgetown beaten by Wyoming, 46-34". Milwaukee Journal. United Press. March 31, 1943. p. 8, part 2.
  15. ^ "Wyoming defeats Georgetown, 46-34, for NCAA basketball title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). March 31, 1943. p. 8.
  16. ^ "Wyoming takes coveted crown". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). United Press. March 31, 1943. p. 11.
  17. ^ a b Moss, Irv (April 7, 2009). "Sailors still big shot in Wyoming history". Denver Post. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
  18. ^ "Wyoming five wins in overtime, 52 to 47". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. April 2, 1943. p. 14, part 2.
  19. ^ "Wyoming scores 52-47 victory over St. Johns in hoop tilt". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. April 2, 1943. p. 2.
  20. ^ "Champ of champs, new Wyoming title". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. April 2, 1943. p. 11.
  21. ^ "Final Four Most Outstanding Players". cbs.sportsline.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2009.
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