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1942–43 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team

American college basketball season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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]

ConferenceMountain States Conference
Record31–2 (4-0 Big Seven)
Headcoach
Quick facts Wyoming Cowboys basketball, NCAA tournament National championsBig Seven regular season champions ...
1942–43 Wyoming Cowboys basketball
NCAA tournament National champions
Big Seven regular season champions
National Championship Game,
W 46–34 vs. Georgetown
ConferenceMountain States Conference
Record31–2 (4-0 Big Seven)
Head coach
Seasons
← 1941–42
1943–44 →
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Schedule

More information Date time, TV, Rank# ...
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.
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[4][5][6][7][8][9] [10] [11]

Roster

More information Name, Position ...
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
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Source:[12]

Regular season

In the fourth game of the season, the Cowboys lost to Duquesne. It would be the last game the Cowboys would lose 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 were the first Wyoming team to score over 100 points in a game, by beating Regis 101–45.

Postseason

NCAA tournament

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

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

References

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Timelines

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