The 1948-49 men's basketball team stood out in an era of great teams at Butler shortly after World War II. Led by Coach Hinkle, the `48-49 Butler squad posted an 18-5 record, including an 8-2 mark in the Mid-American Conference. The Bulldogs defeated both Indiana and Purdue to win the 1948 Hoosier Classic holiday tournament, and later picked up victories over both Notre Dame and Cincinnati. The team was the first Butler squad to be ranked in the Associated Press national poll, reaching as high as 11th in the nation and remaining in the "Top 20" for eight consecutive weeks! The team included seven Butler Hall of Fame members - Hinkle,Â
John Barrowcliff, Jim Doyle, Ralph "Buckshot" O'Brien, Bill Shepherd, Charlie Maas and Marvin Wood.
