Eastern Intercollegiate Conference

The Eastern Intercollegiate Conference (EIC) was an athletic conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States. The conference sponsored men's college basketball and existed from 1932 to 1939, with teams in the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Eastern Intercollegiate Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded1932
Ceased1939
Sports fielded
DivisionDivision I (post-1973 equivalent)
No. of teams5 (1932-33 and 1934-35)
6 (1933-34; 1935-36 through 1938-39)
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The 1937–1938 conference champion, Temple, went on to win the 1938 National Invitation Tournament.[1]

Although the Associated Press described the conference as "one of the best in the nation,"[2] its members agreed to disband it at the end of the 1938–1939 season because geographical problems had made scheduling difficult.[2]

Member schools edit

Over its seven seasons of existence, the conference's membership varied between five and six schools each season.[3]

Final members edit

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Carnegie Institute of TechnologyPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1900Private
(Nonsectarian)
10,875Tartans1932–331938–39University (UAA)
Georgetown UniversityWashington, D.C.1789Private
(Catholic)
19,371Hoyas1932–331938–39Big East
Pennsylvania State UniversityState College, Pennsylvania1855Public45,901Nittany Lions1935–361938–39Big Ten
University of PittsburghPittsburgh, Pennsylvania1787Public28,664Panthers1932–331938–39Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania1884State related39,755Owls1932–331938–39The American
West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, West Virginia1867Public26,839Mountaineers1932–331938–39Big 12

Other members edit

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, Pennsylvania1846Private
(Nonsectarian)
3,650Bison1933–341933–34Patriot

Membership timeline edit

Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketballNCAA Division I independent schoolsNCAA Division I independent schoolsBucknell Bison men's basketballNCAA Division I independent schoolsWest Virginia Mountaineers men's basketballTemple Owls men's basketballPittsburgh Panthers men's basketballGeorgetown Hoyas men's basketballCarnegie Tech

MemberNon-member

Champions edit

The conference championships were determined by the best regular season conference records except in the event of teams having identical conference records. In the case of such ties, the conference championship was decided by a one-game playoff championship game at the conclusion of the regular conference season. Conference championships were decided by this playoff game in 1935, 1936, and 1937. However, following the 1938–1939 season, no playoff game was held despite identical records held by Carnegie Tech and Georgetown, and the two schools were declared co-champions for the season.

Pittsburgh dominated the conference results with four championships in the conference's seven seasons, winning the first two seasons by having the best regular-season record and winning championship playoff games in 1935 and 1937, but losing the 1936 championship playoff game.[3]

  • 1932–1933 Pittsburgh
  • 1933–1934 Pittsburgh
  • 1934–1935 Pittsburgh*
  • 1935–1936 Carnegie Tech*
  • 1936–1937 Pittsburgh*
  • 1937–1938 Temple
  • 1938–1939 Carnegie Tech/Georgetown**

* Conference title decided by a playoff game
** No playoff game held. The two teams were declared co-champions based on identical regular-season conference records.

Scoring record edit

During the 1937–1938 season, Carnegie Tech′s Melvin Cratsley set the league′s single-game scoring record in men's basketball with 34 points against West Virginia. He scored 12 field goals during the game, ten of them on tip-ins or by shooting from directly beneath the hoop and the other two on set shots from inside the free throw line.[1]

Season standings edit

Each team played each other team in the conference twice each season in a home-and-home schedule except for the 1933–1934 season, when Bucknell, Carnegie Tech, and Pittsburgh did not play a complete 10-game home-and-home schedule for the season.

1932–1933 edit

1932-33[4]ConferenceOverall
  W-L    Pct.  GB    W-L    Pct.
Pittsburgh7–1.87517–5.773
Temple5–3.625215–6.714
Carnegie Tech4–4.50034–5.444
Georgetown3–5.37546–11.353
West Virginia1–7.125610–14.417

1933–1934 edit

1933-34[5]ConferenceOverall
  W-L    Pct.  GB    W-L    Pct.
Pittsburgh8–01.00018–4.818
West Virginia7–3.700214–5.737
Georgetown5–5.500412–11.522
Temple5–5.50049–12.429
Carnegie Tech2–7.2221–8.111
Bucknell0–7.0002–16.111

1934–1935 edit

1934-35[6]ConferenceOverall
  W-L    Pct.  GB    W-L    Pct.
Pittsburgh*6–2.75018–6.750
West Virginia*6–2.75016–6.727
Temple5–3.625117–7.708
Carnegie Tech2–6.25043–6.333
Georgetown1–7.12556–13.316

*Conference playoff championship game, March 18, 1935, in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Pittsburgh 35, West Virginia 22[7]

1935–1936 edit

1935-36[8]ConferenceOverall
  W-L    Pct.  GB    W-L    Pct.
Carnegie Tech*7–3.7008–3.727
Pittsburgh*7–3.70018–9.667
Temple6–4.600118–6.750
West Virginia6–4.600116–8.667
Georgetown4–6.40037–11.389
Penn State0–10.00076–11.353

*Conference playoff championship game, March 14, 1936, at Pitt Stadium Pavilion, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Carnegie Tech 32, Pittsburgh 27[9]

1936–1937 edit

1936-37[10]ConferenceOverall
  W-L    Pct.  GB    W-L    Pct.
Temple*7–3.70017–6.739
Pittsburgh*7–3.70014–7.667
Penn State6–4.600110–7.588
Carnegie Tech4–6.40039–11.450
Georgetown3–7.30049–8.529
West Virginia3–7.30049–14.391

*Conference playoff championship game, March 22, 1937, at Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh 35, Temple 29[7]

1937–1938 edit

1937-38[11]ConferenceOverall
  W-L    Pct.  GB    W-L    Pct.
Temple9–1.90023–2.920
Penn State6–4.600313–5.722
Pittsburgh5–5.50049–12.429
Georgetown5–5.50047–11.389
Carnegie Tech3–7.30063–7.300
West Virginia2–8.20076–13.316

1938–1939 edit

1938-39[12]ConferenceOverall
  W-L    Pct.  GB    W-L    Pct.
Carnegie Tech*6–4.60012–7.632
Georgetown*6–4.60013–9.591
Penn State5–5.500113–10.565
Pittsburgh5–5.500110–8.556
West Virginia4–6.400210–9.526
Temple4–6.400210–12.455

*No conference championship playoff game was held, so Carnegie Tech and Georgetown finished as co-champions.

Overall team results edit

Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Team Results
during conference membership[13]
TeamSea-
sons
YearsEIC
Record*
EIC
Winning Pct.
EIC
Champion-
ships
Overall
Record
Overall
Winning Pct.
Postseason**
Bucknell
1
1933–1934
0–7
.000
0
2–16
.111
N/A
Carnegie Tech
7
1932–1939
29–37
.439
2***
40–47
.460
1–0 in EIC playoff games
Georgetown
7
1932–1939
27–39
.409
1***
60–74
.448
none
Penn State
4
1935–1939
17–23
.425
0
42–33
.560
none
Pittsburgh
7
1932–1939
47–20
.701
4
104–51
.671
2–1 in EIC playoff games
Temple
7
1932–1939
41–26
.612
1
109–51
.681
0–1 in EIC playoff games;
Won 1938 NIT
West Virginia
7
1932–1939
29–38
.433
0
81–69
.540
0–1 in EIC playoff games
Totals
7
1932–1939
438–341
.562
One NIT championship

*Includes conference playoff games.
**The National Invitation Tournament did not begin play until 1938. The NCAA tournament did not begin play until 1939. "N/A" (not applicable) indicates neither tournament existed during the school's membership in the conference.
***Includes a conference co-championship Carnegie Tech and Georgetown shared in the 1938–1939 season.

Head coaches edit

Eleven men served as head coaches of EIC teams during the conference's seven seasons of play. Only three of them — Pittsburgh's Doc Carlson, Carnegie Tech's Max E. Hannum, and Temple's James Usilton — coached their teams throughout the EIC's existence.

Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Head Coaches
during Eastern Intercollegiate Conference membership[13][14]
CoachTeamSea-
sons
YearsConfer-
ence
Record*
EIC
Winning Pct.
EIC
Champion-
ships
Overall
Record
Overall
Winning Pct.
Postseason**
Doc CarlsonPittsburgh
7
1932–1939
47–20
.701
4
104–51
.671
2–1 in EIC playoff games
Marshall GlennWest Virginia
5
1933–1938
24–25
.490
0
61–46
.570
0–1 in EIC playoff games
Max E. HannumCarnegie Tech
7
1932–1939
29–37
.439
2***
40–47
.460
1–0 in EIC playoff games
John LawtherPenn State
3
1936–1939
17–13
.567
0
36–22
.621
none
Earl LesliePenn State
1
1935–1936
0–10
.000
0
6–11
.353
N/A
Fred MesmerGeorgetown
6
1932–1938
21–35
.375
0
47–65
.420
none
Malcolm MusserBucknell
1
1933–1934
0–7
.000
0
2–16
.111
N/A
Dyke RaeseWest Virginia
1
1938–1939
4–6
.400
0
10–9
.526
none
Elmer RipleyGeorgetown
1
1938–1939
6–4
.600
1***
13–9
.591
none
Francis StadsvoldWest Virginia
1
1932–1933
1–7
.125
0
10–14
.417
N/A
James UsiltonTemple
7
1932–1939
41–26
.612
1
109–51
.681
0–1 in EIC playoff games;
Won 1938 NIT

*Includes conference playoff games.
**The National Invitation Tournament did not begin play until 1938. The NCAA tournament did not begin play until 1939. "N/A" (not applicable) indicates coaching tenures in the conference during which neither tournament existed.
***Includes a conference co-championship Carnegie Tech and Georgetown shared in the 1938–1939 season.

References edit

  1. ^ a b College Hoopedia: 1937-38
  2. ^ a b College Hoopedia: 1938-39
  3. ^ a b sports-reference.com Eastern Intercollegiate Conference
  4. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/eic/1933.html sports-reference.com 1932-33 Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Season Summary - Retrieved on January 11, 2014.
  5. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/eic/1934.html sports-reference.com 1933-34 Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Season Summary - Retrieved on January 11, 2014.
  6. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/eic/1935.html sports-reference.com 1934-35 Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Season Summary - Retrieved on January 11, 2014.
  7. ^ a b Hotchkiss, Greg, ed. (2013). 2013-14 Pitt Men's Basketball Media Guide. University of Pittsburgh Athletic Media Relations Office. pp. 172–173. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  8. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/eic/1936.html sports-reference.com 1935-36 Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Season Summary - Retrieved on January 11, 2014.
  9. ^ Biederman, Lester (March 17, 1936). "Tartan Five Whips Panthers to Annex Eastern Intercollegiate Court Crown!". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  10. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/eic/1937.html sports-reference.com 1936-37 Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Season Summary - Retrieved on January 11, 2014.
  11. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/eic/1938.html sports-reference.com 1937-38 Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Season Summary - Retrieved on January 11, 2014.
  12. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/eic/1939.html sports-reference.com 1938-39 Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Season Summary - Retrieved on January 11, 2014.
  13. ^ a b sports-reference.com Eastern Intercollegiate Conference Coaches Accessed 19 December 2020
  14. ^ athletics.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon University Men's Basketball Year-by-Year Coaching Records