Hoosier Hysteria is the state of excitement surrounding the
Indiana high school basketball tournament1911 - Crawfordsville
1912 - Lebanon
1913 - Wingate
1914 - Wingate
1915 - Thorntown
1916 - Lafayette
1917 – Lebanon
1918 - Lebanon
1919 - Bloomington
1920 - Franklin
...
. In part, the excitement stemmed from the inclusion of all Indiana high schools in the same tournament, where a small town's
DavidDavid was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Bible. He is depicted as a righteous king, although not without fault, as well as an acclaimed warrior, musician and poet .The biblical chronology sets his life c.1037–970 BCE, his reign over Judah c.1007–1000 BCE,...
might knock off a large city's Goliath. The most famous example occurred in 1954, when
MilanMilan High School is a small high school located at 609 N Warpath Drive, Milan, Indiana. Its current principal is Richard Healy.-Courses:Milan High School offers a variety of courses in the general and advanced levels. Students have the oppurtunity to take dual-credit college classes as well...
(enrollment 161) defeated Muncie Central (enrollment over 1,600) to win the State title. The plot of the now famous movie,
HoosiersHoosiers is a 1986 film about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship.The story is set during 1951, when all high schools in Indiana, regardless of size, competed in one state championship tournament...
, was based on the story of the 1954 Milan team and seems to typify the hysteria related to basketball in the state of Indiana.
Indiana's passion for basketball was observed and written about by basketball's inventor,
James NaismithJames Naismith was a Canadian and naturalized American sports coach and innovator. Naismith invented the sport of basketball in 1891 and is often credited with introducing the first football helmet...
. In 1925, Naismith visited an Indiana basketball state finals game along with 15,000 screaming fans and later wrote, that while it was invented in
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
, "basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport."
HoosierHoosier is the official demonym for a resident of the U.S. State of Indiana. Although residents of most U.S. states typically adopt a derivative of the state name, e.g., Indianan or Indianian, natives of Indiana never use these demonyms. In St. Louis, Missouri, the word is used in a derogatory...
s have a traditional love for basketball similar to the love for
footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
in
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
,
LacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin that is played using a small solid rubber ball and a long-handled racquet called a crosse or lacrosse stick. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose netting that is designed to hold the lacrosse ball...
in
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and
Minnesotans'Minnesota is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.2 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the...
love for
hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
. It truly is one of the State's most cherished traditions.
One-Class Tradition
Historically, each of the several hundred small towns of Indiana had its own small school system. Before consolidation of many of these rural school districts in the last half of the twentieth century, Indiana high schools had fewer students than those of most other states; basketball was a natural game for these schools since it only required five starters and a few reserves. Even one or two great basketball players could make a high school team a powerhouse, and nearly every Indiana town dreamt of such glory.
The
Franklin Wonder FiveThe Franklin Wonder Five was a 1920s basketball team from Indiana's "Hoosier Hysteria" era. Basketball was king in Indiana and no team reigned more supreme than the team dubbed the “Wonder Five” from Franklin, Indiana...
was the first team to win the state championship in three consecutive years, from 1920-1922. This accomplishment would not be matched for over six decades. The team was led by
Fuzzy VandivierRobert P. "Fuzzy" Vandiver was a well-known high school and collegiate basketball player during the 1920s. At Franklin High School he led a squad nicknamed "Franklin Wonder Five", a team that compiled an 89-9 record, won three state championships and is considered the greatest Indiana High School...
.
After Milan's Miracle in the 1950s, no school with an enrollment of less than 500 won another boys' State title under the all-comers format. As
schoolA school , is an institution designed to allow and encourage students to learn, under the supervision of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
consolidation became more common and as more
ruralRural areas are large and isolated areas of a country, often with low population density.About 91 percent of the rural population now earn salaried incomes, often in urban areas...
residents migrated to cities making large high schools grow even larger, smaller high schools had only a mismatch to look forward to come
tournamentA tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
time, as success concentrated in Indiana's large
urbanAn urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
and suburban schools. Starting with the 1997-1998 season, Indiana established a controversial four-class system for its basketball championship, although many other sports remain single-class. The state's move to this new system has, to some extent, diminished the phenomenon and public opinion is widely split on the merits of "class basketball."
Aside from the "Milan Miracle," the story of
Crispus Attucks High SchoolCrispus Attucks High School of Indianapolis Public Schools in Indianapolis, Indiana is named for Crispus Attucks , a black laborer killed at the Boston Massacre whom many regarded as a revolutionary leader...
ranks as one of the greatest in Indiana high school basketball tradition. In 1955, the year after Attucks had lost in the semistate final (state quarterfinals) to Milan's championship team, Attucks gained fame by winning the Indiana state championship, becoming the first all-black school in the nation to win a state title. Crispus Attucks repeated as champions in 1956, becoming the first Indiana high school team to complete a season undefeated. The Attucks teams of 1954 through 1956 were led by
Oscar RobertsonOscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O" or O-Train, is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
. Both stories, Milan and Crispus Attucks, are memorialized for their accomplishments and tradition at the
Indiana State MuseumThe Indiana State Museum is a museum located within White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. The museum houses many exhibits on the history of Indiana from prehistoric times up to the present day. It is the location of one of only four IMAX theaters in the state of Indiana.-History:The...
as well as at the
Indiana Basketball Hall of FameThe Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is a sports museum and hall of fame in New Castle, Indiana. It honors men and women associated with high school and college basketball in Indiana....
in
New Castle, IndianaNew Castle is a city in Henry County, Indiana, 44 miles east-northeast of Indianapolis, on the Big Blue River. In 1900, 3,406 people lived in the town; in 1910, 9,446; in 1920, 14,458; and in 1940, 16,620. The population was 17,780 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Henry County...
.
A highlight of the single-class tournament was the 1990 State Championship game, in which the paid attendance was over 40,000 fans. This phenomenal turnout of fans who witnessed
Damon BaileyDamon Bailey is a retired American basketball player, who has been regarded as a basketball idol in the state of Indiana since then-Indiana University head coach Bob Knight called him a "hot prospect" when Bailey was in eighth grade.- High school career :Bailey's fame spread through the state...
's Bedford-North Lawrence Stars win the State Championship stands as the largest crowd ever to witness a high school basketball game.
After the 1997 season (when Bloomington North won the final single-class State Championship), the IHSAA controversially did away with the single-class system, ending the run of single-class champions in Indiana. There are many in Indiana who lament this loss, and who know that Hoosier Hysteria has been dramatically and significantly lessened thereby.
High school gymnasiums
Perhaps one of the more telling signs of the passion and commitment to basketball at the high school level is the number and size of large basketball
gymThe word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasiums in the state. With considerable cost and effort, Indiana boasts nine of the ten largest high school gyms in the country
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2004-02-25-ten-great-hoops-newcastle_x.htm, and a purported eighteen of the top twenty. Seventeen venues in Indiana today boast a capacity of over 6,000.
http://www.hoopshall.com/gyms/
College Hysteria
Hoosier Hysteria may have its roots firmly planted in the high school game, but the college tradition brings its own depth to Indiana's passion. In NCAA Division I basketball, Indiana's colleges and universities have a storied past.
Big TenThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its eleven member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Iowa and Minnesota in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
rivals Indiana University and
Purdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System...
are the most notable, with national and conference championships to boast. Yet, even the more football-oriented
University of Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a private Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, Indiana, USA....
and smaller schools such as
Ball State UniversityBall State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana, U.S. Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans more than 1,000 acres...
,
Butler UniversityButler University is a private liberal arts university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It was founded by abolitionist and attorney Ovid Butler in 1855...
, the
University of EvansvilleThe University of Evansville is a small, private university with approximately 3,050 students located in Evansville, Indiana. Founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College, it is located near the interchange of the Lloyd Expressway and U.S. Route 41. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
,
Indiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
, and
Valparaiso UniversityValparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, and a law school...
add to the mix.
Vincennes UniversityVincennes University is a public university in Vincennes, Indiana in the United States. Founded in 1801 as Jefferson Academy, VU is the oldest public institution of higher learning in Indiana. Since 1889, VU has been a two-year university, although baccalaureate degrees in seven select areas are...
boasts an outstanding national tradition in the junior college ranks. In recent years, even the largely-commuter campus of IUPUI and the Division II
University of IndianapolisThe University of Indianapolis is a university located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The shortened name it uses is UIndy...
and
University of Southern IndianaThe University of Southern Indiana is a public university in Evansville, Indiana. This publicly-funded institution is rapidly growing and is the fastest growing...
have added their own successes to the legend of Indiana basketball.
Wabash CollegeWabash College is a small, private, liberal arts college for men, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Morehouse College, Wabash is one of only three remaining mainstream all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States....
won the Men's Division III NCAA Championship in 1982; DePauw and
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
were Div III National Finalists. It is safe to say that the terms "
Final FourFinal Four is a sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably the NCAA Division I college basketball tournament. Typically it refers to a tournament format where four teams play two rounds of single-elimination games, resulting in a...
" and "
March MadnessMarch Madness may refer to:*NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship*NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship*NCAA Basketball series , an EA Sports College Basketball video game series...
" have grown out of the tradition of Hoosier Hysteria.
Ball State Cardinals
The
Ball State CardinalsBall State University's athletic teams are called the Cardinals. The Cardinals are part of the NCAA Mid-American Conference and located in Muncie, Indiana...
have won several conference championships and earned a number of NCAA Tournament berths over the years, including:
- Seven Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members located...
Season Championships
- Seven Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament Championships (and subsequent NCAA Tournament appearances)
- Bonzi Wells
Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells is an American professional basketball player. A 6' 5" shooting guard, he last played for Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association.- College :...
, a Muncie, IndianaMuncie is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. It is the principal city of the Muncie, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 118,769...
native, was a four-year letterwinner at Ball State, finishing his career as the Mid-American ConferenceThe Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members located...
's all-time leading scorer, and leading the NCAA in steals.
- Ball State's highest finish in the NCAA Tournament came in 1990
The 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado...
, when they defeated Gary PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a retired American professional basketball player. He is best known for his 12-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics...
's Oregon State BeaversThe Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University, a university located in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-10 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny Beaver...
and Coach Denny CrumDenzil E. "Denny" Crum is a former American men's college basketball coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001, compiling a 675–295 record. He guided the Cardinals to two NCAA championships and six Final Fours...
's Louisville CardinalsThe Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have a tradition of...
before falling to eventual champion UNLVThe UNLV Runnin' Rebels are a NCAA Division I men's basketball team who play at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 2008 where they reached the Second Round but lost to eventual champion Kansas.As of 2009, UNLV is the...
by 2, 69-67.
Butler Bulldogs
- Home to the legendary Hinkle Fieldhouse
Hinkle Fieldhouse, also known as Butler Fieldhouse, is a basketball arena located on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. When it was built in 1928, it was the largest basketball arena in the United States, and it retained that distinction until 1950...
, where Indiana High School Athletic AssociationThe Indiana High School Athletic Association is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public and private high schools in the State of Indiana. It monitors a system that divides athletically-competing high schools in Indiana based on the school's enrollment. The divisions, known as...
Championships were held for many years (including Milan's 1954 championship), Butler UniversityButler University is a private liberal arts university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It was founded by abolitionist and attorney Ovid Butler in 1855...
also is notable for its men's and women's basketball teams. The Bulldogs advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in the 2003The 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in...
and 2007The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
seasons.
- In 2006, the Bulldogs won the 2006 Preseason NIT
The NIT Season Tip-Off is an annual college basketball tournament that takes place in November of each year, around the beginning of the season. The first two rounds are held at campus sites and the semifinals and the finals are held at Madison Square Garden. The tournament began in 1985 as the...
, beating most notably Indiana and Notre Dame to reach the semifinals in New York City. Behind a strong performance from guard A.J. Graves, the Bulldogs defeated Tennessee and Gonzaga at Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City. It is also the name of the entity which owns the arena and several of the professional sports franchises which play there. There have been four incarnations of...
. http://www.nit.org/history/nit-preseason-year-by-year.html
Evansville Purple Aces
- The Evansville Aces
The University of Evansville is a small, private university with approximately 3,050 students located in Evansville, Indiana. Founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College, it is located near the interchange of the Lloyd Expressway and U.S. Route 41. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
have won five national championships in the NCAA College Division (now known as Division IIDivision II is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It offers an alternative to both the highly competitive level of intercollegiate sports offered in NCAA Division I and to the non-scholarship level offered in Division III...
): 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965 (29-0 record), and 1971. This ranks second all-time.
- After joining the NCAA's Division I in 1977, Evansville was a charter member of the Midwest Collegiate Conference
The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference, whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
, now known as the Horizon League. The Aces won or shared the MCC regular season title in 1982, 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1993. They also won the conference tournament title in 1982, 1992, and 1993.
- The Aces are now a member of the Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I....
, and won the 1999 regular season title.
- Legendary Aces coach Arad McCutchan
Arad A. McCutchan was a well-known collegiate basketball coach. The Evansville, Indiana native coached his hometown University of Evansville from 1946 to 1977, guiding the Purple Aces to a 515-313 record....
was the first NCAA College Division coach selected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors exceptional basketball players, all-time great coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game.Named after basketball inventor Dr...
http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/mens/results/3744.
Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana's collegiate basketball squad, the
Indiana HoosiersIndiana University, Bloomington's athletic teams are called the Hoosiers, and their colors are cream and crimson, though red and white have been used at times in the past. From its humble beginnings with baseball in 1867, the Hoosier athletic program has grown to include over 600 male and female...
men's basketball team has several championships to their credit:
- Five NCAA National Championships (1940
The 1940 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 8 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 20, 1940, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Kansas City, Missouri...
, 1953The 1953 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 22 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 10, 1953, and ended with the championship game on March 18 in Kansas City, Missouri...
, 1976The 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1976, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, 1981The 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1981, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, 1987The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
), placing them in a tie for third most all-time
- Twenty Big Ten Championships (including four-in-a-row, from 1973 to 1976), currently the second most all-time
- Also, Indiana completed the most recent undefeated season in Division I men's college basketball, going 32-0 in the 1975-76 season under Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight.
The Hoosiers' five NCAA Championships are the third-most in history, tied with UNC trailing
UCLAThe UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967, 1972, and 1973...
(11) and
KentuckyThe Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the holder of the most all-time victories in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage, with an all-time record of 1988-635-1...
(7). Their eight trips to the
Final FourFinal Four is a sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably the NCAA Division I college basketball tournament. Typically it refers to a tournament format where four teams play two rounds of single-elimination games, resulting in a...
ranks seventh on the all-time list. The Hoosiers have made 32 appearances in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament (fifth-most in NCAA history). In those 32 appearances, Indiana has posted 52 victories, the sixth-most in NCAA history.
Indiana State Sycamores
- Led by the legendary French Lick standout Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a retired American NBA basketball player. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, teaming with legendary center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale. Due to back problems, he retired...
, Indiana StateIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
was the runner-up in the 1979 NCAA TournamentThe 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1979, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah...
. They lost to Magic Johnson'sEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
Michigan State Spartans. They finished the season at 33-1.
- Indiana State
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
, led by All-American Jerry Newsom, was the runner-up in the 1968 NCAA College Division championship game.
- Indiana State
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
won the 1950 NAIAThe National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA permits membership to colleges and universities...
championship game.
- Seven players from the 1950 team played for Head Coach John Longfellow as the United States' Gold Medal Basketball team at the inaugaral 1951 Pan-American Games.
- Indiana State
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
was the runner-up in the 1946 and 1948 NAIA championship games. The 1948 team was coached by the legendary John WoodenJohn Robert Wooden is a retired American basketball coach. He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and as a coach . He was the first person ever enshrined in both categories; only Lenny Wilkens and Bill Sharman have since been so honored...
; it is the only Championship game loss in Coach Wooden's career.
- In 1947, Wooden's basketball team won the conference title and received an invitation to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City. Wooden refused the invitation citing the NAIA's policy banning African American players. A member on the Indiana State Sycamores' team was Clarence Walker, an African-American athlete from East Chicago, Indiana. In 1948 the NAIA changed this policy and Wooden guided his team to the NAIA final, losing to Louisville. That year, Walker became the first African-American to play in ANY post-season intercollegiate basketball tournament.
- Indiana State
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" six years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
finished third in 1953 and fourth in the 1949 NAIA tourney
- In 1936, Indiana State was the runner-up in the U.S. Olympics Trials for basketball.
- Two MVC
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I....
Regular Season Championships and two MVC Tournament Championships
- Eight Indiana Collegiate Conference (ICC) Regular Season Championships
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- The 1936 Men's Irish Basketball team was awarded the Helms Foundation National Championship.
- The Irish women won the National Championship in 2001
The 2001 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 16 and ended on April 1. The tournament featured 64 teams. The Final Four consisted of Connecticut, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Missouri State, with Notre Dame defeating Purdue 68-66 to win its first NCAA title. Notre Dame's Ruth...
.
Purdue Boilermakers
With their only National Championship coming in the days before the NCAA Tournament, the
Purdue BoilermakersBoilermakers is the official moniker for the intercollegiate athletic teams of Purdue University. As is common with athletic nicknames, it is also used as colloquial designation of Purdue's students and alumni at large....
have a strong basketball history:
- National Championship in 1932 (sponsored by the Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
, seven years before the NCAA sponsored a basketball championship)
- One NIT
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two "NIT" events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
Championship (1974-Selected teams:-Brackets/Results:*Third Place - Boston College 87, Jacksonville 77...
); the first for the Big Ten ConferenceThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its eleven member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Iowa and Minnesota in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
and two Runner-up finishes (1979-Selected teams:-Brackets/Results:* Indiana and Ohio State received byes to the Semifinals.-Semifinals & Finals:* Third Place - Alabama 96, Ohio State 86...
, 1982-Selected teams:-Brackets/Results:-Semifinals & Finals:...
) and a third place finish (1981-Selected teams:-Brackets/Results:-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Purdue 75, West Virginia 72...
)
- Twenty-One (21) Big Ten Championships (including a "Three-Pete" - a play on their mascot - from 1994 to 1996 and from 1934 to 1936.)
- The most all-time.
- Currently second all-time in Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its eleven member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Iowa and Minnesota in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
victories with 848.
- The reigning Big Ten Tournaments
The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1998. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's automatic...
Champions.
- The women Boilermakers have one National Championship (1999
The 1999 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 12, 1999 and concluded on March 28, 1999 when Purdue won its first national championship in any women's sport. The Final Four was held at the San Jose Arena in San Jose, California on March 26 - March 28, 1999. Purdue defeated...
), one National Runner-up (2001The 2001 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 16 and ended on April 1. The tournament featured 64 teams. The Final Four consisted of Connecticut, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Missouri State, with Notre Dame defeating Purdue 68-66 to win its first NCAA title. Notre Dame's Ruth...
), seven Big Ten Championships, and have won six of the thirteen women's Big Ten TournamentsThe Big Ten Conference women's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the women's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1995. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's...
.
USI Screaming Eagles
- The USI Screaming Eagles
The University of Southern Indiana is a public university in Evansville, Indiana. This publicly-funded institution is rapidly growing and is the fastest growing...
, led by Bruce PearlBruce Dean-Fredrick Pearl is an American basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Tennessee men's team, the Volunteers. He is the first coach to lead the Volunteers to a national #1 ranking...
, won the 1995 Division II National ChampionshipThe NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship has been conducted since 1957. Like all other NCAA basketball divisions for men and women, the champion is decided in a single-elimination tournament, and like in Division I, the Division II tournament has 64 teams. However, the Division II...
and were runners-up in 1994 and 2004.
Valparaiso Crusaders
- Nine Summit League regular season championships.
- Eight Summit League tournament championships.
- Memorable run in the 1998 NCAA Tournament
The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
following The ShotFor supporters of Valparaiso University in Indiana, USA, "The Shot" refers to a play that happened in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. In the Midwest Region, 13-seed Valparaiso was facing 4-seed Ole Miss in the first round. Valparaiso was down 69-67 with 4.1 seconds remaining in the...
by Bryce DrewBryce Homer Drew is the associate coach, and former member, of the Valparaiso University Crusader men's basketball team...
.
Vincennes Trailblazers
The Vincennes program began in 1903, however, no teams were formed from 1910-1912 and 1931-1950.
The Vincennes University men's basketball program is the 4th winningest junior college program in the country, with 1,470 victories. The Trailblazers trail Southeastern Iowa Community College (1,519), Moberly, Mo., (1,505) and Hutchinson, Kan., with 1,490.
The Trailblazers' 3 National Titles place them 3rd in titles behind
Moberly Area Community CollegeMoberly Area Community College is a two-year college based in Moberly, Missouri, United States that has branch campuses across a large portion of Northeastern and central Missouri. The college was founded in 1927. In 2007 it enrolled approximately 3000 students. The college is accredited by the...
and
San Jacinto CollegeSan Jacinto College is a community college system in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Established in 1961, the San Jacinto College district originally consisted of the areas of Channelview ISD, Deer Park ISD, Galena Park ISD, La Porte ISD, and Pasadena ISD. The district now also...
- Central, which each have four titles.
- 3 NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States of America. It is held as Divisions and Regions...
National Championships; 1965, 1970, 1972
- National Finalist in 1986
- National Semi-Finalist in 1974, 1983, 1992, 1993
- National Tournament Top 10 finishes: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2000
- 30 appearances in the NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States of America. It is held as Divisions and Regions...
National Tournament
- 28 appearances in the NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States of America. It is held as Divisions and Regions...
finals.
- 34 NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States of America. It is held as Divisions and Regions...
Region 12 championships.
- 9 NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States of America. It is held as Divisions and Regions...
District 12 championships.
- 7 Inter-region playoffs
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team is based in the state's capital and largest city, Indianapolis, Indiana, located in the center of the state. The Indiana Fever of the WNBA, also owned by Melvin & Herb Simon, are the Pacers' sister team and play at Conseco Fieldhouse as well. The Indiana Pacers
- Founded in 1967 as a charter ABA team.
- Joined NBA in 1976
- Won 3 ABA Championships
- Won 5 ABA Conference Championships
- Won 3 ABA Division Championships
- Won 1 NBA Conference Championship
- Won 4 NBA Division Championships
- Home-Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association. The Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League also use Conseco...
- Mascots-Boomer and Bowser
Boomer and Bowser are the official mascots of the Indiana Pacers, a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association . They appear at each of the Pacers' home games as well as special events for the NBA....
- Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne Miller is a retired American professional basketball player. Miller spent the entirety of his 18-year NBA career with the Indiana Pacers. Miller was known for his precision three-point field goal shooting, especially in clutch situations. He holds the NBA record for career...
- Bobby "Slick" Leonard
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional women's basketball team that plays in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Fever are based in Indiana's capital and largest city, Indianapolis. The Fever play at Conseco Fieldhouse, located in downtown Indianapolis. The team is the sister team of the NBA's Indiana Pacers.
- Founded in 2000
- Home-Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association. The Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League also use Conseco...
- Tamika Catchings
Tamika Devonne Catchings is an American WNBA player who plays for the Indiana Fever and Polish team Lotos Gdynia. She is a prolific scorer close to and far from the basket, as well as a capable rebounder, ball handler and defender. After playing at Adlai E...
- Mascot-Freddy Fever
Freddy Fever is the official mascot of the Indiana Fever, a professional women's basketball team that plays in the Women's National Basketball Association . He appears at each of the Fever home games as well as special events for the WNBA, such as the WNBA All-Star Game...
Big Ten Tournament
At the conclusion of the regular Big Ten season, a tournament is held to determine the conference winner, who receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Indianapolis has played host for the men's tournament on three occasions to date. Indianapolis has hosted all but one of the
women's tournamentsThe Big Ten Conference women's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the women's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1995. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's...
since its inception in 1995. Beginning in 2008, the
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball TournamentThe Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1998. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's automatic...
will be held exclusively at Indianapolis'
Conseco FieldhouseConseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is the home of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association. The Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League also use Conseco...
.
Final Four
Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. The United States Census estimated the city's population, excluding the included towns, at 798,382 in 2008...
, often referred to as the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World" has hosted a number of collegiate basketball events. Aside from the multitude of regional games held during the NCAA tournament, Indianapolis has hosted five men's NCAA
Final FourFinal Four is a sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably the NCAA Division I college basketball tournament. Typically it refers to a tournament format where four teams play two rounds of single-elimination games, resulting in a...
s (1980, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2006) and one women's (2005). Indianapolis is scheduled to host the men's 2010 and 2015 Final Fours as well as the women's in 2011. Previous events were held in the
Market Square ArenaMarket Square Arena was an indoor arena located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The arena, completed in 1974 at a cost of $23 million, seated 16,530 for basketball and 15,993 for ice hockey.-History:...
or the
RCA DomeThe RCA Dome, originally named the Hoosier Dome, was a domed stadium located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons . It was completed at a cost of $28 million as part of the Indiana Convention Center, with the costs split evenly between...
, but given the new stadium being built for the
Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
,
Lucas Oil StadiumLucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, in a game against the Buffalo Bills and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts...
will host future events. When the NCAA Headquarters relocated to Indianapolis, it was stated that Indianapolis would then host the men's Final Four once every five years. The leading factor in the NCAA's decision to move to Indianapolis was the overwhelming amount of local athletic infrastructure, all of it world-class.
World Championships
In 2002, Indianapolis hosted the
FIBA World ChampionshipThe FIBA World Championship is a world basketball tournament for men's national teams held quadrennially by the International Basketball Federation ....
, an event that takes place on even years opposite the
Olympic GamesThe Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
. Since inaugural event in 1950, Indianapolis is the only city in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to have hosted the event.
Homegrown Hysteria
Here follows a list of notable Indiana natives who have achieved success in basketball:
- Steve Alford
Stephen Todd Alford is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team...
- Damon Bailey
Damon Bailey is a retired American basketball player, who has been regarded as a basketball idol in the state of Indiana since then-Indiana University head coach Bob Knight called him a "hot prospect" when Bailey was in eighth grade.- High school career :Bailey's fame spread through the state...
- Kent Benson
Michael Kent Benson is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player.-1969-1973:...
- Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a retired American NBA basketball player. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, teaming with legendary center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale. Due to back problems, he retired...
- Ron Bonham
Ronald D. Bonham is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'5" forward, Bonham starred at Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Indiana during the 1950s, where he earned the nickname "The Muncie Mortar." He played collegiately at the University of Cincinnati and, after being...
- Junior Bridgeman
Ulysses Lee "Junior" Bridgeman is a retired American basketball player.Bridgeman was a member of the 1971 East Chicago Washington High School Senators basketball team, which went undefeated and won the Indiana state high school basketball championship...
- Vic Bubas
Vic Bubas is a former basketball coach of Duke University.-Early life:Bubas graduated from Gary Lew Wallace High School in 1944. He then went on to North Carolina State University where he played for Everett Case. Bubas was an All-Southern Conference selection twice...
- Don Buse
Donald R. Buse is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'4" guard from the University of Evansville, Buse played 13 seasons in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association as a member of the Indiana Pacers, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers,...
- Everett Case
Everett N. Case , nicknamed "Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964....
- Calbert Cheaney
Calbert Nathaniel Cheaney is a veteran basketball player in the NBA currently a free agent. He was selected 6th overall by the Washington Bullets in the 1993 NBA Draft...
- Mike Conley, Jr.
Michael "Mike" Alex Conley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association....
- Louis Dampier
- Everett Dean
Everett S. Dean was a college men's basketball and baseball coach.Born in Livonia, Indiana, Dean was the head baseball and basketball coach at his alma mater, Indiana University, from 1924 to 1938. In 1938, Dean was named head basketball coach at Stanford University, where he coached the team to...
- Terry Dischinger
Terry Gilbert Dischinger is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. He currently practices orthodontics.-1954-1958:...
- Katie Douglas
Kathryn Elizabeth “Katie” Douglas is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA...
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Rick Foxthumb|right|240px|Rick Fox holding a producer credit for [[The 1 Second Film]] in May 2006.Ulrich Alexander "Rick" Fox is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player.-Biography:...
Eric GordonEric Gordon, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. He is known, in part, as the subject of a major recruiting battle between the University of Illinois and Indiana University in the spring and summer of 2006; because of Gordon's talent and high...
Alan HendersonAlan Lybrooks Henderson is an American professional basketball player of the NBA. He stands 6'9" tall. Henderson attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. They lost the Indiana State title game his senior year to Glenn Robinson's Gary Roosevelt squad...
Tony HinklePaul D. "Tony" Hinkle was an American college basketball coach a] in 1964 and the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He also came up with the idea of an orange basketball...
Bill HodgesBill Hodges is a former college basketball coach.Before the start of the 1977 season, he got the Indiana State University job after head coach Bob King suffered a brain aneurysm. He would lead the Sycamores to a second place finish in the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. During...
Jared JeffriesJared Scott Carter Jeffries is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the NBA. He was drafted in 2002 by the Washington Wizards as the 11th overall pick...
Roger Kaiser
Billy KellerWilliam Curry "Billy" Keller is an American former professional basketball player.-1961-1965:...
Shawn KempShawn T. Kemp is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the National Basketball Association.-Early years:...
Tommy Kron
Bobby Leonard
Kenny LoftonKenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He batted and threw left-handed. During his career he played for the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies,...
Clyde LovelletteClyde Lovellette is a former professional basketball player; the first basketball player in history to play on an NCAA, Olympics and NBA championship squad. His high school team fell one game short of a state championship.Lovellette fostered the trend of tall, physical and high-scoring centers...
John MacLeod
Kyle MacyKyle Robert Macy is an American basketball broadcaster, currently the color commentator for University of Kentucky telecasts. Macy, raised in Peru, Indiana, played college basketball at Purdue University and the University of Kentucky, and spent seven years in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns,...
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Sean May Sean Gregory May is an American professional basketball player. A 6' 9" power forward, he is currently a member of the Sacramento Kings....
Arad McCutchanArad A. McCutchan was a well-known collegiate basketball coach. The Evansville, Indiana native coached his hometown University of Evansville from 1946 to 1977, guiding the Purple Aces to a 515-313 record....
Branch McCrackenBranch McCracken was a college men's basketball coach.As a player at Indiana, the Monrovia, Indiana native was a three-year letter winner for Hall of Fame coach Everett Dean...
George McGinnisGeorge F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1972...
Brad Miller
Eric MontrossEric Scott Montross is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA....
Rick MountRichard Carl Mount is a former American basketball player in the American Basketball Association . He was the first high school athlete to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine....
Stretch MurphyCharles C. "Stretch" Murphy is a former American basketball player.-Playing career:Charles Murphy played competitive basketball at Marion High School , located in Marion, Indiana. The All-State player led his school to the Indiana state championship in 1926 during his senior year...
Greg OdenGregory Wayne Oden, Jr. is an American basketball player at the center position. Oden is a member of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA....
Matt PainterMatt Painter is an NCAA men's basketball head coach at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana.-1989–1993:...
Bobby PlumpBobby Plump was a member of the Milan High School basketball team that won the Indiana High School Athletic Association State Tournament in 1954. Plump was named one of the Most Noteworthy Hoosiers of the 20th century by Indianapolis Monthly Magazine...
Gregg PopovichGregg Popovich is the head coach of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs. He is often referred to, by players, media, and fans, as "Coach Pop" or simply "Pop."...
Zach RandolphZachary "Zach" Randolph is an American professional basketball player currently with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.- High school career :...
Glenn RobinsonGlenn "Big Dog" A. Robinson is a former American professional basketball player in the NBA. He last played during the 2004-05 season.-1987-1991:...
Oscar RobertsonOscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O" or O-Train, is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
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Dave Schellhase Dave Schellhase is an former American collegiate coach and basketball player in the National Basketball Association .-Evansville North :...
Jerry SichtingJerry Lee Sichting is a retired American basketball player in the NBA.-1975–1979:After playing basketball at Martinsville High School under head coach Sam Alford, Jerry attended Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, to play for head coach Fred Schaus...
Norm SloanNorm Sloan was an American college basketball coach.Sloan was a 1951 graduate of North Carolina State University, where he lettered in basketball under coach Everett Case and was a classmate and teammate of Vic Bubas, who later coached Duke. As players, both won multiple Southern Conference...
Scott SkilesScott Allen Skiles is the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and former American professional basketball player. He also is the former head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Skiles holds the NBA record for assists in one game, with 30. In 1990–91 he won the NBA Most Improved...
Tim StoddardTimothy Paul Stoddard is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is one of only two known men to have played in both a World Series and an NCAA basketball national championship game....
Chuck TaylorCharles Hollis "Chuck" Taylor , was an American basketball player and shoe salesman/evangelist. He is best known for his association with the Chuck Taylor All-Stars sneaker, the most successful selling basketball shoe in history...
Chris ThomasChris Thomas is a former basketball player at Pike High School and the University of Notre Dame.- Personal :...
Monte ToweMonte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired player.Towe attended Oak Hill High School in Converse, Indiana...
Pete TrgovichPete Trgovich was an American basketball player.Trgovich was a member of the 1971 East Chicago Washington High School Senators basketball team, which went undefeated and won the Indiana state high school championship...
Fuzzy VandivierRobert P. "Fuzzy" Vandiver was a well-known high school and collegiate basketball player during the 1920s. At Franklin High School he led a squad nicknamed "Franklin Wonder Five", a team that compiled an 89-9 record, won three state championships and is considered the greatest Indiana High School...
Sharon Versyp
Bonzi WellsGawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells is an American professional basketball player. A 6' 5" shooting guard, he last played for Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association.- College :...
Randy WittmanRandy Scott Wittman is a retired American basketball player, in the guard position, and former coach of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-College:...
Judi Warren
Mike WarrenMichael Warren is an American TV actor and former college basketball player, best known for playing Officer Bobby Hill on the NBC television series Hill Street Blues....
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Stephanie White Stephanie White-McCarty was a former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association. As an intercollegiate athlete, she was named the winner of the Wade Trophy in 1999, which recognizes the top female basketball player in the nation.White was the 1995 Indiana Miss...
John WoodenJohn Robert Wooden is a retired American basketball coach. He is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and as a coach . He was the first person ever enshrined in both categories; only Lenny Wilkens and Bill Sharman have since been so honored...
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Non-natives who gained basketball fame in Indiana's tradition include:
- Roger Brown
Roger William Brown , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American professional basketball player.-Career:A 6'5" forward/guard, Brown starred at Brooklyn's Wingate High School and signed to play for the University of Dayton in 1960, but he was banned from the National Collegiate Athletic Association and...
- Quinn Buckner
William Quinn Buckner, commonly known as Quinn Buckner is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at Indiana University, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA Draft...
- Brian Cardinal
Brian Lee Cardinal is an American professional basketball player who currently plays forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association.-1991–1995:...
- Joe Barry Carroll
Joe Barry Carroll is a retired American professional basketball player who spent ten seasons in the NBA.-1976-1977:...
- Mel Daniels
Melvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
- Ward Lambert
Ward L. "Piggy" Lambert was a well-known college men's basketball coach. He played basketball at Crawfordsville High School and Wabash College, both under coach Ralph Jones, who himself would go on the coach Purdue...
- George King
George Smith King was an American professional basketball player and collegiate coach. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia.-1952–1958:George King was picked in the 8th round of the 1950 NBA Draft...
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Gene Keady Lloyd Eugene Keady is a former basketball coach and NFL quarterback. Currently a basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005....
Billy KnightWilliam R. "Billy" Knight is an American former professional basketball player who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks from 2003–08.Knight grew up in Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where he...
Reggie MillerReginald Wayne Miller is a retired American professional basketball player. Miller spent the entirety of his 18-year NBA career with the Indiana Pacers. Miller was known for his precision three-point field goal shooting, especially in clutch situations. He holds the NBA record for career...
Carl NicksOrlando Carl Nicks is a retired American American NBA player. At 6'1" 175 lb, Nicks played guard during his career.-Basketball career:...
Lee RoseLee Rose is an American basketball coach and instructor and a current assistant coach with the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. He was a college basketball coach in the 1970s and 1980s.-Collegiate career:...
Fred SchausFred Schaus was a basketball star, coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, GM and coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, coach of Purdue University basketball, and was a member of the NCAA Basketball...
Jerry SloanGerald Eugene Sloan, better known as Jerry Sloan , is a Basketball Hall of Fame coach with the Utah Jazz. He is one of professional basketball's most successful coaches, with a career regular-season win–loss record of 1137–751 , placing him fourth on the list of all-time most-winning NBA coaches...
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Rik SmitsRik Smits is a retired Dutch professional basketball player who spent his entire professional career with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. The 7'4" center was drafted by the Pacers out of Marist College with the second overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft...
Keith SmartJonathan Keith Smart is an American former basketball player and current coach. He is best remembered for hitting the game-winning shot in the 1987 NCAA championship game. The shot gave the Indiana Hoosiers a 74–73 victory over the Syracuse Orangemen...
Isiah ThomasIsiah Lord Thomas III is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA Championship in the...
Fred ZollnerFred Zollner was called "Mr. Pro Basketball" as the founder and longtime owner of the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons and a key figure in the merger of National Basketball League and Basketball Association of America into the National Basketball Association in 1949.Zollner, an industrialist, was born...
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See also
- Hoosiers
Hoosiers is a 1986 film about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship.The story is set during 1951, when all high schools in Indiana, regardless of size, competed in one state championship tournament...
- Blue Chips
Blue Chips is a 1994 drama film about basketball, directed by William Friedkin, written by Ron Shelton and starring Nick Nolte as a college coach and real-life basketball stars Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway as talented finds....
- a 1994 basketball movie telling the tale of a by-the-books coach who turns to "friends of the program" to secure the talents of incoming freshman players. Indiana Hoosier Matt Nover co-stars alongside NBA stars Shaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , frequently referred to simply as "Shaq", is an American professional basketball player, rapper, and actor. He is widely perceived as one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, 325 pounds, he is one of the largest players to...
, Anfernee Hardaway, and cameos by Larry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a retired American NBA basketball player. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, teaming with legendary center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale. Due to back problems, he retired...
, Rick PitinoRick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001 he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
, George RavelingGeorge Raveling is a former college men's basketball coach and FOX Sports Net color commentator. He was the head coach at Washington State University , the University of Iowa , and the University of Southern California . The Washington, D.C. native attended St...
, Jim BoeheimJames Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. In 33 seasons leading the Orange, Boeheim has guided his team to seven Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, including...
, Jerry TarkanianJerry Tarkanian , also known as "Tark the Shark", is an American former college basketball coach known for colorful behavior, including habitually chewing on a towel during games, and for his public criticisms of and clashes with the NCAA...
, Rick Foxthumb|right|240px|Rick Fox holding a producer credit for [[The 1 Second Film]] in May 2006.Ulrich Alexander "Rick" Fox is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player.-Biography:...
and current Purdue Head Coach Matt PainterMatt Painter is an NCAA men's basketball head coach at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana.-1989–1993:...
. The game segments were filmed in Frankfort, IndianaFrankfort is a city in Clinton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 16,662 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Clinton County.-History:...
. Numerous other segments of the film were shot around the great state of Indiana.
- Indiana High School Boys Basketball Champions
1911 - Crawfordsville
1912 - Lebanon
1913 - Wingate
1914 - Wingate
1915 - Thorntown
1916 - Lafayette
1917 – Lebanon
1918 - Lebanon
1919 - Bloomington
1920 - Franklin
...
- Indiana "Mr. Basketball" award
External links