1945–46 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1945–46 Idaho Vandals Idaho Vandals logo.svg 80 Pacific Coast Conference PCC 23–11 11–5 James "Babe" Brown 4th Memorial Gymnasium Pacific Coast ConferenceNorthern Division Champions PCC Championship Series L, 1–2 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. For the first time in 23 years, the Vandals were Northern Division champions of the PCC,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DFkVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M-UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6956%2C938292 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Idaho hoop fans celebrate title March 4, 1946 7 22–9 overall in the regular season and 11–5 in conference play.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u7hWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6644%2C3691627 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Oregon 42-41 win over OSC gives Idaho championship March 3, 1946 22https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wIESAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f_UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7222%2C592546 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Ashlock Herb Idaho rates underdog role for series with California March 4, 1946 12 In the last game of the regular season, the Vandals defeated Palouse neighbor Washington State by two points in Moscow, and Oregon took down runner-up Oregon State by a point in overtime on the road in Corvallis.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u7hWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6608%2C3690390 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Strite Dick Beavers tripped in overtime March 3, 1946 22 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,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3kkyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OeQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2742%2C5222903 Berkeley Daily Gazette California Scott Jim Cal-Idaho series opens tonight March 7, 1946 11 lost game one in a near-riot,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3kkyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OeQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1250%2C5298047 Berkeley Daily Gazette California Wolfe will start tonight Erickson Glenn March 9, 1946 8https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wbhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2137%2C4357741 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press California Bears take first playoff from Idaho 52-37 March 9, 1946 8 won game two,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wbhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2137%2C4357741 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon Associated Press Vandals, Bears in final playoff game March 11, 1946 5https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=30kyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OeQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1302%2C5391214 Berkeley Daily Gazette California PCC title at stake tonight March 11, 1946 11 but lost the third.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LSxWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M-UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6746%2C3013723 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Spellecy Denny Bears take Pacific Coast championship with win over Idaho, 55 to 36 March 12, 1946 9https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wbhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6618%2C4429779 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon United Press Dailey Jack California trounces Idaho 55 to 36 in final March 12, 1946 8https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=30kyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OeQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1479%2C5485691 Berkeley Daily Gazette California Cal sinks Idaho, 53-36, for PCC title Erickson Glenn March 12, 1946 12 Postseason results yes no |- !colspan=5 style=Idaho Vandals| Pacific Coast Conference Playoff Series Fri, March 8 8:00 pm yes no California Men's Gym Berkeley, California Game One 37–52 22–10 7,500 Sat, March 9 8:00 pm yes no California Men's Gym Berkeley, California Game Two 28–23 23–10 7,500 Mon, March 11 8:00 pm yes no California Men's Gym Berkeley, California Game Three 36–55 23–11 7,500 no no 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, northwest of Jerome. Also injured were players Warren Shepherd, George Weitz, and Bob Fuller, the latter two hospitalized. The five were traveling westbound 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.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W79eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NjEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1352%2C6078237 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Ronald White killed in highway accident near Wendell yesterday December 22, 1945 12https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rXRWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pOQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4286%2C5684746 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington 2 Idaho cagers die in collision December 22, 1945 1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nlAaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LicEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5870%2C4419316 Spokane Daily Chronicle Idaho Associated Press Athletes' death shock in Idaho December 22, 1945 6https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GfFPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HQgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6938%2C5378385 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon United Press Tragedy hits Idaho Vandals December 22, 1945 6 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. 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. References 2 External links Sports Reference – Idaho Vandals: 1945–46 basketball season Gem of the Mountains: 1946 University of Idaho yearbook – 1945–46 basketball season Idaho Argonaut – student newspaper – 1946 editions Category:Idaho Vandals men's basketball seasons Idaho Idaho Idaho