On This Date in Sports March 30, 1943: Cowboys Ride

Frank The Tank 3/30/2023 12:00 AM

In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com

Wyoming stars in the Big Apple, beating Georgetown 46-34 in the final of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The Cowboys, coached by Everett Shelton, were led on the floor by Kenny Sailors, who scored 16 points in the championship game to earn the tournament’s Most Oustanding Player Award. It was the first time the NCAA Championship Game was held at Madison Square Garden, a move to compete with the NIT.

As the NCAA Basketball Tournament reached its fifth year, the realities of World War II were prevalent. Illinois, the top team in the country at 17-1, could not play in the eight-team tournament to decide the National Champion due to three of their top players, Art Mathisen, Ken Menke, and Jack Smiley, being drafted into the Army.

The eight-team tournament placed four teams in the East playing at Madison Square Garden and four in the West, with the games at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. In the Eastern half of the bracket, Georgetown, coached by Elmer Ripley, started with a 55-36 win over New York University. Meanwhile, DePaul, led by All-American George Mikan, beat Dartmouth 46-35. In the semifinals, the Hoyas would emerge with a 53-49 win to reach the championship game.

Wyoming’s road to the Championship game began with a 55-50 win over Oklahoma. The Cowboys earned a trip to New York in the semifinal by beating the Longhorns 54-58. In the other Western Quarterfinal, Texas beat Washington 59-53.

Wyoming would beat Georgetown 46-34 to win the National Championship, completing a dream season. Despite just playing nine games at home, the Cowboys were among the best teams in the nation, posting a record of 31-2 as they outscored their opponents by an average of 20 points per game. During the season, Wyoming became the first team to top 100 points in a game, beating Regis 101-45. Kenny Sailors was Wyoming’s star attraction, and he did not disappoint in the title game scoring 16 points to earn the Most Outstanding Player Award. Sailors who were credited with inventing the jump shot averaged 16.7 points per game.

Two days after the NCAA Tournament Championship, Wyoming defeated St. John’s, who won the National Invitation Tournament 52-47. The game, which was an unofficial National Championship Game at Madison Square Garden, was held to benefit the Red Cross.