1935–36 Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers basketball team

The 1935–36 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 1935-36 NCAA basketball season. The team was led by future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Edgar Diddle and leading scorer Brad Mutchler.^[1] The Hilltoppers won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, led NCAA in wins for the 3rd consecutive year,^[2] and received an invitation to the National Olympic Playoff representing the South.^[3] Mutchler, Max Reed, Elmo Meacham, and William “Red” McCrocklin were selected to the All-SIAA team. Mutchler, Reed, and Meacham were also named to the All-State team.^[4]

1935–36 Western Kentucky State Teachers Hilltoppers basketball
KAIC Champions
National Olympic Playoff
Conference	Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record	26–4 (10–1 KIAC)
Head coach	Edgar Diddle (14th season)
Home arena	Health & Physical Education Building
Seasons ← 1934–35 1936–37 →

Schedule

^[5]

Date time, TV	Opponent	Result	Record	Site city, state
Regular Season
1/6/1936*	at David Lipscomb	W 50–40	1–0	Nashville, TN
1/7/1936*	at Alabama State Teachers	W 45–41	2–0	Montgomery, AL
1/8/1936*	at South Georgia Teachers	W 44–26	3–0	Statesboro, GA
1/9/1936*	at Tampa	W 40–19	4–0	Tampa, FL
1/10/1936*	at Stetson	W 24–20	5–0	DeLand, FL
1/11/1936*	at Stetson	W 25–24	6–0	DeLand, FL
1/15/1936	at Murray State	L 15–31	6–1	Lovett Auditorium  Murray, KY
1/17/1936	Union (KY)	W 44–32	7–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
1/18/1936	at Louisville	W 31–25	8–1	Belknap Gymnasium  Louisville, KY
1/25/1936	Eastern Kentucky	W 46–30	9–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
1/28/1936*	Middle Tennessee	W 36–14	10–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
1/30/1936	at Centre	W 38–31	11–1	Danville, KY
1/31/1936	at Eastern Kentucky	W 61–23	12–1	Weaver Gymnasium  Richmond, KY
2/1/1936	at Union (KY)	W 52–35	13–1	Barbourville, KY
2/7/1936	Louisville	W 34–25	14–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
2/8/1936*	at Tennessee Tech	W 42–25	15–1	Memorial Gymnasium  Cookeville, TN
2/10/1936	at Berea	W 40–23	16–1	Berea, KY
2/13/1936*	Louisiana College	W 31–21	17–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
2/15/1936	Murray State	W 29–23	18–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
2/18/1936*	at Middle Tennessee	W 47–27	19–1	Murfreesboro, TN
2/22/1936	Centre	W 36–28	20–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
2/24/1936*	Tennessee Tech	W 48–21	21–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
1936 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament
2/28/1936	Murray State KIAC Tournament	W 55–31	22–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
2/29/1936	Morehead State KIAC Tournament Semifinal	W 74–36	23–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
2/29/1936	Eastern Kentucky KIAC Tournament Final	W 34–22	24–1	Health & Phys Ed Building  Bowling Green, KY
1936 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament
3/7/1936	vs. Stetson SIAA Tournament	W 50–36	25–1	Jackson, MS
3/9/1936	vs. Louisiana Tech SIAA Tournament Semifinal	W 60–41	26–1	Jackson, MS
3/10/1936	vs. Murray State SIAA Tournament Final	L 24–26	26–2	Jackson, MS
National Olympic Playoff
3/26/1936*	vs. Arkansas South vs Southwest	L 36–43	26–3	Little Rock, AR
3/27/1936*	vs. Arkansas South vs Southwest	L 30–38	26–4	Little Rock, AR
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.

References

1. Harrison, Lowell (1987). Western Kentucky University. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0813116204.
2. E. A. Diddle CBB Records, Sports Reference, retrieved October 6, 2018
3. 2019-2020 WKU Basketball Media Guide retrieved 21 April 2020
4. Ruby, Earl (1979). Red Towel Territory : A History of Athletics at Western Kentucky University. American National Bank and Trust Co.
5. Western Kentucky Men's Basketball Archive, retrieved 14 May 2020