1959–60 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1959–60 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers men's basketball team represented Western Kentucky State College (now known as Western Kentucky University) during the 1959-60 NCAA University Division Basketball season. The Hilltoppers were led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle.[1] The Hilltoppers won the Ohio Valley Conference championship, as well as the conference's automatic bid to the 1960 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.[2] This team was very balanced, with four players being named to the All-Conference Team: Charlie Osborne, Bobby Rascoe, Al Ellison, and Don Parsons.[3]

1959–60 Western Kentucky State Hilltoppers basketball
Ohio Valley Conference Champion
Sugar Bowl Tournament Champion
NCAA Tournament, Sweet Sixteen
Mideast Region 3rd Place
ConferenceOhio Valley Conference
Record21–7 (10–2 OVC)
Head coach
Assistant coachTed Hornback
Home arenaHealth & Physical Education Building
Seasons

Schedule

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[4]

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
Regular Season
12/3/1959*
Union (TN) W 123–71  1–0
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/5/1959*
Northwest Louisiana W 89–60  2–0
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/10/1959*
vs. Seton Hall W 78–69  3–0
Madison Square Garden 
New York, NY
12/12/1959*
at Illinois L 80–93  3–1
Huff Hall 
Champaign, IL
12/15/1959
Morehead State W 70–68  4–1 (1-0)
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
12/19/1959
at East Tennessee W 103–77  5–1 (2-0)
Brooks Gymnasium 
Johnson City, TN
12/29/1959*
vs. Mississippi State
Sugar Bowl Tournament
W 61–50  6–1
Tulane Gym 
New Orleans, LA
12/30/1959*
at Tulane
Sugar Bowl Tournament
W 71–67  7–1
Tulane Gym 
New Orleans, LA
1/6/1960*
No. 18 at DePaul W 86–65  8–1
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/9/1960
No. 18 at Eastern Kentucky L 73–80  8–2 (2-1)
Alumni Coliseum 
Richmond, KY
1/12/1960
No. 18 Tennessee Tech W 71–67  9–2 (3-1)
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/16/1960
at Murray State L 72–87  9–3 (3-2)
Racer Arena 
Murray, KY
1/20/1960*
at Xavier L 66–76  9–4
Schmidt Fieldhouse 
Cincinnati, OH
1/23/1960*
Bowling Green W 85–61  10–4
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1/28/1960*
at Marshall L 97–100 OT 10–5
Memorial Field House 
Huntington, WV
1/30/1960*
at La Salle W 76–70  11–5
Convention Hall 
Philadelphia, PA
2/6/1960
at Middle Tennessee W 109–89  12–5 (4-2)
Alumni Memorial Gym 
Murfreesboro, TN
2/10/1960*
Xavier L 73–82  12–6
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/13/1960
at Morehead State W 85–72  13–6 (5-2)
Wetherby Gymnasium 
Morehead, KY
2/16/1960
Eastern Kentucky W 38–20  14–6 (6-2)
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/20/1960
Murray State W 65–57  15–6 (7-2)
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/23/1960
at Tennessee Tech W 85–81  16–6 (8-2)
Memorial Gymnasium 
Cookeville, TN
2/27/1960
Middle Tennessee W 109–80  17–6 (9-2)
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
2/29/1960*
Kent State W 69–60  18–6
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
3/2/1960
East Tennessee W 83–69  19–6 (10-2)
Health & Physical Education Building 
Bowling Green, KY
1960 NCAA University Division basketball tournament
3/8/1960*
vs. No. 10 Miami (FL)
Mideast Region First Round
W 107–84  20–6
Memorial Coliseum 
Lexington, KY
3/11/1960*
vs. No. 3 Ohio State
Sweet Sixteen
L 79–98  20–7
Freedom Hall 
Louisville, KY
3/12/1960*
vs. Ohio
Mideast Region Consolation
W 97–87  21–7
Freedom Hall 
Louisville, 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. ^ 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  3. ^ 2019-2020 OVC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 4 May 2020
  4. ^ 1959-60 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 12 May 2020