| Mode: | Basketball |
| Sex: | none |
| Year: | 1941–42 |
| Team: | Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers |
| Conference: | Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Short Conf: | KIAC |
| Record: | 29–5 |
| Conf Record: | 7–2 |
| Hc Year: | 20th |
| Asst Coach1: | Ted Hornback |
| Stadium: | Health & Physical Education Building |
| Champion: | SIAA Champions KAIC Champions |
| Bowl: | NIT Tournament |
| Bowl Result: | Finals National Runner-up |
The 1941–42 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 1941-42 NCAA basketball season. The team was led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle.[1] The Hilltoppers won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships, led NCAA in wins,[2] and received an invitation to the 1942 National Invitation Tournament, where they advanced to the championship game.[3] During this period, the NIT was considered to be the premiere college basketball tournament, with the winner being recognized as the national champion.[4] [5] This was the first Kentucky team to participate in the NIT.[6] Oran McKinney, Earl Shelton, and Wallace “Buck” Sydnor were selected to the All-SIAA team, while the All-KIAC Team included Howard “Tip” Downing, Shelton, and Sydnor.[7]
[8] |-!colspan=6| Regular Season|- |-!colspan=6| 1942 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament|-!colspan=6| 1942 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament|-!colspan=6| 1942 National Invitation Tournament