1945–46 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team

The 1945–46 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1945–46 NCAA college basketball season. Members of the Pacific Coast Conference, the Vandals were led by fourth-year acting head coach James "Babe" Brown and played their home games on campus at Memorial Gymnasium in Moscow, Idaho.

1945–46 Idaho Vandals men's basketball
Pacific Coast Conference
Northern Division Champions
PCC Championship Series, L, 1–2
ConferencePacific Coast Conference
1945–46 record23–11 (11–5 PCC)
Head coachJames "Babe" Brown (4th season)
Home arenaMemorial Gymnasium
1945–46 Pacific Coast Conference men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
North
Idaho11–5 .688  23–11  .676
Oregon State10–6 .625  13–11  .542
Oregon8–8 .500  16–17  .485
Washington6–10 .375  14–14  .500
Washington State5–11 .313  16–13  .552
South
California †11–1 .917  30–6  .833
USC8–4 .667  14–7  .667
UCLA5–7 .417  8–16  .333
Stanford0–12 .000  6–18  .250
† Conference playoff series winner
As of 1946[1]; Rankings from AP Poll

For the first time in 23 years, the Vandals were Northern Division champions of the PCC,[2] 22–9 overall in the regular season and 11–5 in conference play.[3][4] In the last game of the regular season, the Vandals defeated Palouse neighbor Washington State by two points in Moscow,[3] and Oregon took down runner-up Oregon State by a point in overtime on the road in Corvallis.[5] In the four-game series with each, the Vandals split with both Oregon and Oregon State, took three from Washington, and swept Washington State.

Idaho met Southern Division champion California in the best-of-three championship series in Berkeley,[6] lost game one in a near-riot,[7][8] won game two,[9][10] but lost the third.[11][12][13]

Postseason results
Date
time, TV		 Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Pacific Coast Conference Playoff Series
Fri, March 8
8:00 pm		 at California
Game One		 L 37–52  22–10
 Men's Gym (7,500)
Berkeley, California
Sat, March 9
8:00 pm		 at California
Game Two		 W 28–23  23–10
 Men's Gym (7,500)
Berkeley, California
Mon, March 11
8:00 pm		 at California
Game Three		 L 36–55  23–11
 Men's Gym (7,500)
Berkeley, California
*Non-conference game. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Pacific time.

Fatal accident

Earlier in the season on December 21, player Ronnie White (age 21) and student manager Walter Thomas (age 18) were killed in a midday automobile accident in southern Idaho, near Wendell. Also injured were players Warren Shepherd, George Weitz, and Bob Fuller, the latter two hospitalized. The five were traveling in a panel truck driven by Thomas from Rupert to Boise when it collided head-on with a larger truck loaded with concrete pipe on a snow-covered curve; the other driver was not injured.[14][15][16][17]

The team's outstanding player award was named for White, who previously played for Lewiston High School and North Idaho Teachers College (NITC) in Lewiston.[14]

Aftermath

Alumnus Guy Wicks returned to the university after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II and resumed his duties as head coach in basketball (and baseball); Brown was the acting athletic director during the war and also the head football coach in 1945 and 1946.

The next title in basketball for Idaho was 35 years away, in 1981 in the Big Sky Conference.

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References
  1. "2017-18 Men's Basketball Media Guide". Pac-12 Conference. p. 72. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  2. "Idaho hoop fans celebrate title". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 4, 1946. p. 7.
  3. "Oregon 42-41 win over OSC gives Idaho championship". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 3, 1946. p. 22.
  4. Ashlock, Herb (March 4, 1946). "Idaho rates underdog role for series with California". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 12.
  5. Strite, Dick (March 3, 1946). "Beavers tripped in overtime". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 22.
  6. Scott, Jim (March 7, 1946). "Cal-Idaho series opens tonight". Berkeley Daily Gazette. (California). p. 11.
  7. Erickson, Glenn (March 9, 1946). "Wolfe will start tonight". Berkeley Daily Gazette. (California). p. 8.
  8. "California Bears take first playoff from Idaho 52-37". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 9, 1946. p. 8.
  9. "Vandals, Bears in final playoff game". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 11, 1946. p. 5.
  10. "PCC title at stake tonight". Berkeley Daily Gazette. (California). March 11, 1946. p. 11.
  11. Spellecy, Denny (March 12, 1946). "Bears take Pacific Coast championship with win over Idaho, 55 to 36". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 9.
  12. Dailey, Jack (March 12, 1946). "California trounces Idaho 55 to 36 in final". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. p. 8.
  13. Erickson, Glenn (March 12, 1946). "Cal sinks Idaho, 53-36, for PCC title". Berkeley Daily Gazette. (California). p. 12.
  14. "Ronald White killed in highway accident near Wendell yesterday". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 22, 1945. p. 12.
  15. "2 Idaho cagers die in collision". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 22, 1945. p. 1.
  16. "Athletes' death shock in Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Idaho). Associated Press. December 22, 1945. p. 6.
  17. "Tragedy hits Idaho Vandals". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. December 22, 1945. p. 6.
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