Wikipedia

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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4]

1966–67 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball
Ohio Valley Conference Champion
OVC Tournament Champion
Hurricane Classic Champion
NCAA Tournament, First Round
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 7
APNo. 6
Record23–3 (13–1 OVC)
Head coach
Assistant coachGene Rhodes
Home arenaE. A. Diddle Arena
Seasons

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.[5] 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.[6][7][8]

Schedule

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[9]

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.

References

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  1. ^ Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co.
  2. ^ Haskins, Chapman reflect on special WKU squads from 1965-66, '66-67, By ZACH GREENWEL, The Bowling Green Daily News.com, Feb 20, 2016 retrieved 10 May 2020
  3. ^ 2019-2020 OVC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 4 May 2020
  4. ^ Harrison, Lowell (1987). Western Kentucky University. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813116204.
  5. ^ 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  6. ^ 1967 NBA Draft, Basketball Reference, retrieved 10 May 2020
  7. ^ 1968 NBA Draft, Basketball Reference, retrieved 10 May 2020
  8. ^ Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810890695.
  9. ^ 1966-67 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 10 May 2020
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