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The College Basketball Belt · season

The 1953–54 season

24 belt games · 6 title changes

Valparaiso carried the belt into the 1953–54 season. It changed hands 6 times among 6 programs, 2 of those in the playoffs, and La Salle finished the season with it. Most defenses: Notre Dame, 14.

Who held it, in order

PurdueButlerNorthwesternNotre DamePenn StateLa Salle

Every belt game

Belt game	Date	Result
81	Dec 1, 1953	Purdue beat Valparaiso 83–64	Title change
82	Dec 7, 1953	Purdue beat Bradley 77–73	Defense
83	Dec 11, 1953	Purdue beat Loyola Chicago 82–70	Defense
84	Dec 14, 1953	Butler beat Purdue 67–65	Title change
85	Dec 18, 1953	Butler beat Michigan 81–77	Defense
86	Dec 27, 1953	Northwestern beat Butler 70–57	Title change
87	Dec 30, 1953	Notre Dame beat Northwestern 52–50	Title change
88	Jan 5, 1954	Notre Dame beat Louisville 72–53	Defense
89	Jan 8, 1954	Notre Dame beat New York University 99–64	Defense
90	Jan 14, 1954	Notre Dame beat Holy Cross 83–61	Defense
91	Jan 15, 1954	Notre Dame beat Canisius 78–59	Defense
92	Jan 18, 1954	Notre Dame beat Purdue 95–74	Defense
93	Feb 2, 1954	Notre Dame beat Butler 95–58	Defense
94	Feb 8, 1954	Notre Dame beat Michigan State 74–71	Defense
95	Feb 14, 1954	Notre Dame beat DePaul 86–71	Defense
96	Feb 16, 1954	Notre Dame beat Butler 81–56	Defense
97	Feb 19, 1954	Notre Dame beat Navy 84–72	Defense
98	Feb 21, 1954	Notre Dame beat Penn State (Beaver) 62–47	Defense
99	Feb 24, 1954	Notre Dame beat Marquette 79–66	Defense
100	Mar 5, 1954	Notre Dame beat Marquette 79–68	Defense
101	Mar 11, 1954	Notre Dame beat Indiana 65–64 Postseason	Defense
102	Mar 12, 1954	Penn State beat Notre Dame 71–63 Postseason	Title change
103	Mar 18, 1954	La Salle beat Penn State 69–54 Postseason	Title change
104	Mar 19, 1954	La Salle beat Bradley 92–76 Postseason	Defense

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