1966–67 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball team explained

Mode:Basketball
Sex:none
Year:1966–67
Prev Year:1965–66
Next Year:1967–68
Team:Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Conference:Ohio Valley Conference
Coachrank:7
Aprank:6
Short Conf:OVC
Record:23–3
Conf Record:13–1
Champion:Ohio Valley Conference Champion
OVC Tournament Champion
Hurricane Classic Champion
Bowl:NCAA Tournament
Bowl Result:First Round

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]

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

[9] |-!colspan=6| Regular Season|- |-!colspan=6| 1967 NCAA University Division basketball tournament

Notes and References

  1. Book: Ruby, Earl. Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co.. 1979.
  2. https://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/wku/haskins-chapman-reflect-on-special-wku-squads-from-1965-66-66-67/article_da63c123-8447-5d1f-9048-c0cd744256c8.html 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. http://ovcsports.com/documents/2019/10/21//2019_20_OVC_Basketball_Media_Guide.pdf?id=10175 2019-2020 OVC Basketball Media Guide, retrieved 4 May 2020
  4. Book: Harrison, Lowell. Western Kentucky University. University Press of Kentucky. 1987. 978-0813116204 .
  5. https://wkusports.com/documents/2019/10/7/2019_20_WKU_Hilltopper_Basketball_Media_Guide.pdf 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
  6. https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1967.html 1967 NBA Draft, Basketball Reference, retrieved 10 May 2020
  7. https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1968.html 1968 NBA Draft, Basketball Reference, retrieved 10 May 2020
  8. Book: Bradley, Robert D.. The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. 2013. Scarecrow Press. 9780810890695.
  9. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/western-kentucky/1967-schedule.html 1966-67 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Schedule and Results, Sports Reference, retrieved 10 May 2020