The 1955-56 Wayne State University men’s basketball team will be inducted into the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame, marking the first time a team has received this honor. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Friday, October 3 at The Eastern.
The Tartars began their season with a win against Eastern Michigan and then lost to Louisville in their home opener at U of D Memorial Building. Afterward, they achieved a 17-game winning streak, which included victories over Valparaiso and Central Michigan both home and away, as well as another win against Eastern Michigan on their home court. The team completed conference play undefeated with a 6-0 record in the President’s Athletic Conference and secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Wayne State’s 72-63 victory over DePaul in Fort Wayne, Indiana during the NCAA First Round was notable as it represented the first NCAA Tournament game win by any school from Michigan. The team’s tournament run ended after a loss to Kentucky in Iowa City during the Sweet Sixteen round.
Key players on the roster included George Brown—one of the first African American athletes to sign an NBA contract—George “Baby” Duncan, Fred Snowden—who later became the first African American head coach at a major university—and Clarence Straughn. Brown averaged 17.4 points and 15 rebounds per game that season. Duncan contributed with averages of 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, while Straughn added an average of 15.3 points per contest.
Brown also played for the Harlem Globetrotters following his brief NBA stint with one appearance for the Minneapolis Lakers.
Head coach Joel Mason led the squad to an overall record of 18 wins and three losses; their season concluded after falling to Morehead State in a regional third-place game.
Family members of student-athletes from that team are encouraged to contact Senior Associate Athletic Director Jeff Weiss by phone or email for more information about the event.
