1942 College Basketball Recap
The 1941–42 season had barely gotten under way when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec.7 and pulled the United States into World War II. Over the next four years the game would take on a leaner, younger look as older players left for the service, travel was restricted and many schools, unable to field a squad, would be forced to cancel schedules.
Long Island, 24–3 during the regular season, was heavily favored to win its third NIT in five years, but the Blackbirds were ousted in the first round by West Virginia. The Mountaineers, 19–4 coming into the tourney, beat LIU in overtime, then knocked off Toledo and nipped Western Kentucky in the last 20 seconds to win the title. Rudy Baric scored 17 in the final for WVU and was named MVP.
There were Indians everywhere you looked in the NCAA championship game, as Stanford took on Dartmouth in Kansas City. Both teams had to win conference playoffs to qualify for the tournament. Stanford, led by Howie Dallmar's 15 points, won the NCAA title, 53–38.
Speaking of Stanford, Hank Luisetti's career scoring record of 1596 points was eclipsed during the season by Rhode Island State's Stan Modzelewski.
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