In 1967, the Southern Illinois Salukis basketball team had a historic season, winning the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship. The team was led by head coach Jack Hartman and featured a talented roster that included future NBA star Walt Frazier.

The Salukis entered the NIT tournament as an at-large team and were considered underdogs in the early rounds. However, they defeated Saint Louis, West Virginia, and Providence to reach the championship game against the Marquette Warriors.

In the championship game, played at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Southern Illinois jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The Salukis held Marquette to just 26% shooting from the field and won the game by a score of 71-56. Frazier led the way for Southern Illinois with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

The 1967 NIT championship was a significant accomplishment for Southern Illinois basketball, as it was the first major postseason title in program history. The Salukis finished the season with a record of 22-6 and were ranked #9 in the final AP poll. The team’s success helped establish Southern Illinois as a basketball power in the Missouri Valley Conference, and laid the foundation for future success under Hartman and other coaches.