Y'all talking the Mizzou Valley Conf.
Either Tulsa was marginal or the 'Valley' was a beast.
I can't remember, seems like Wichita State and Drake broke the Hurricanes hearts a lot back then.
Ah, memories.
The Valley was a beast of a conference. UCinn was in the conference back then. I think I was eight when my dad took me to see the Bearcats at the Fairgrounds Pavilion. Told me we were going to watch The Big O. Oscar Robertson never won a national title but immediately after he graduated, the Bearcats won back to back and then went for a three peat in '62, but lost to Loyola of Chicago in either OT or double O. I didn't know anybody about Robertson or could even appreciate his greatness watching. But some say he was the most complete player ever in the NBA.
Wichita, before they were called Wichita State, had Dave Stallworth. Bradley had Chet Walker. Drake could play. Tulsa's best player of the early 60s was Jim King, called Country. He played in the NBA for close to a decade. Good shooter. That was back when there were maybe ten teams in the league. You had to be pretty good to play that long.
North Texas State played in a little gym in Denton. For a very short time, Memphis and Louisville came into the Valley during the mid 60s. Louisville had Wes Unseld. Neither stayed very long. But they could play hoops in the MVC.
When OSU won back to back national titles in 1945 and 46, they were called Oklahoma A&M. Bob Kerland was their best player. Hank Iba their coach. They were part of the Missouri Valley conference from 1928 to 56. Went independent for three years, then joined the Big 8.
So for a 20 year span from 1945 to 64, the Valley had four national titles and a couple other teams who made the national finals.
