An institution in American college basketball, Harry Litwack was head coach of the Temple University Owls for 21 years, from 1953 to 1974, leading his team to 14 consecutive winning seasons.

Litwack is credited with creating the innovative "zone defense." The zone changed the posture of the game of basketball and made it necessary to develop totally new methods of coaching and playing.

An outstanding basketball player in his own right at Temple from 1927 to 1929 (captain 1928 and 1929), as well as star player and coach for several years of the Philadelphia SPHAs, Litwack's remarkable 21-year varsity coaching record at Temple was 373 won and 193 lost, including the 1969 National Invitational Tournament Championship.

At the time of his retirement in 1974, Litwack's record was ranked fifth among America's active college basketball coaches. He coached the 1957 United States Maccabiah basketball team.

Harry Litwack was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975.