Hoosier Hysteria
Encyclopedia
Hoosier Hysteria is the state of excitement surrounding basketball
in Indiana
, or more specifically the Indiana high school basketball tournament
. In part, the excitement stemmed from the inclusion of all tournament entrants into the same tournament, where a small town's David
might knock off a large city's Goliath. The most famous example occurred in 1954, when Milan
(enrollment 161) defeated Muncie Central
(enrollment over 1,600) to win the State title. The plot of the now famous movie, Hoosiers
, 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 Naismith
. 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 Massachusetts
, "basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport." Hoosier
s have a traditional love for basketball similar to the love for football
in Texas
, Baseball
in New York
and Minnesotans'
love for hockey
. It truly is one of the State's most cherished traditions.
The Franklin Wonder Five
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 Vandivier
.
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 school
consolidation became more common and as more rural
residents migrated to cities making large high schools grow even larger, smaller high schools had only a mismatch to look forward to come tournament
time, as success concentrated in Indiana's large urban
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 School
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 open to all schools regardless of race. 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 Robertson
. Both stories, Milan and Crispus Attucks, are memorialized for their accomplishments and tradition at the Indiana State Museum
as well as at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
in New Castle, Indiana
.
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 Bailey
'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. Hoosier Hysteria has not completely diminished however. For example, in 2003, DeKalb High School (1200 students) nearly defeated Pike High School (3000) students). Also, the Indiana tournament is still the most attended in the nation, with final four games for the two larger divisions regularly selling out Conseco Fieldhouse
.
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, the largest being the New Castle Fieldhouse, seating 9,325.http://www.hoopshall.com/gyms/
rivals Purdue University
and Indiana University
are the most notable, with national and conference championships to boast. Smaller schools such as the University of Notre Dame
, Indiana State University
, Ball State University
, Butler University
, the University of Evansville
, IUPUI, IPFW, and Valparaiso University
add to the mix. Vincennes University
boasts an outstanding national tradition in the junior college ranks. And in Division II St. Joseph's, University of Indianapolis
and University of Southern Indiana
have added their own successes to the legend of Indiana basketball. Wabash College
won the Men's Division III NCAA Championship in 1982 and their 1905 24-0 team was considered World Champions; DePauw and Manchester
were Div III National Finalists. It is safe to say that the terms "Final Four
" and "March Madness
" have grown out of the tradition of Hoosier Hysteria.
have won several conference championships and earned a number of NCAA Tournament berths over the years, including:
men's basketball team has several championships to their credit:
The Hoosiers' five NCAA Championships are the third-most in history, tied with UNC trailing UCLA
(11) and Kentucky
(7). Their eight trips to the Final Four
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.
have a strong basketball history:
The Boilermaker women have one National Championship (1999
), one national runner-up finish (2001
to Notre Dame), seven Big Ten Championships, and have won six of the thirteen women's Big Ten Tournaments
.
They are members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference
, the top Division II conference in the nation.
The Trailblazers' 3 National Titles place them 3rd in titles behind Moberly Area Community College
and San Jacinto College
- Central, which each have four titles.
The Vincennes program began in 1903, however, no teams were formed from 1910–1912 and 1931-1950.
since its inception in 1995, and Conseco Fieldhouse
has hosted every tournament since 2002, as well as the 2000 edition. The Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
began a five-year stint at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2008.
, headquarters of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
and 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 six men's NCAA Final Four
s (1980, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2010) and two women's (2005, 2011). Indianapolis is scheduled to host the men's 2015 Final Four. Previous events were held in the Market Square Arena
or the RCA Dome
, but given the new stadium built for the Indianapolis Colts
, Lucas Oil Stadium
began hosting Final Four events in 2010. 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.
, an event that takes place on even years opposite the Olympic Games
. Since inaugural event in 1950, Indianapolis is the only city in the United States
to have hosted the event.
Non-natives who gained basketball fame in Indiana's tradition include:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Woodson
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, or more specifically the Indiana high school basketball tournament
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 - Franklin1921 - Franklin 1922 - Franklin 1923 - Vincennes 1924 - Martinsville...
. In part, the excitement stemmed from the inclusion of all tournament entrants into the same tournament, where a small town's David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
might knock off a large city's Goliath. The most famous example occurred in 1954, when Milan
1954 Milan High School basketball team
The 1954 Milan High School Indians were the Indiana state high school basketball champions in 1954. With an enrollment of only 161, the Indians were the smallest school ever to win a single-class state basketball title in Indiana. The team and town are the inspiration for the 1986 film Hoosiers...
(enrollment 161) defeated Muncie Central
Muncie Central High School
Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Indiana, is a public high school which had an enrollment of 899 at the end of the 2010/2011 school year. The school is part of the Muncie Community Schools Corp. It opened in 1868.-History:...
(enrollment over 1,600) to win the State title. The plot of the now famous movie, Hoosiers
Hoosiers
Hoosiers is a 1986 sports film about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship. It is loosely based on the Milan High School team that won the 1954 state championship....
, 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 Naismith
James Naismith
The first game of "Basket Ball" was played in December 1891. In a handwritten report, Naismith described the circumstances of the inaugural match; in contrast to modern basketball, the players played nine versus nine, handled a soccer ball, not a basketball, and instead of shooting at two hoops,...
. 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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. 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. As of the 2010...
, "basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport." Hoosier
Hoosier
Hoosier 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 rarely use these. Indiana adopted the nickname "Hoosier State" more than 150...
s have a traditional love for basketball similar to the love for football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Minnesotans'
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
love for hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. It truly is one of the State's most cherished traditions.
Homegrown Talent
Indiana high schools boast a tradition of producing top caliber basketball players. Through the 2009-2010 NBA season, 146 hoosier athletes have played professional basketball in the world's top league. Considering the size of the state (population 6.4 million), this makes Indiana high schools by far the most successful at developing NBA players per capita. Today there are 14 hoosiers in the NBA - one for every 200,000 male residents.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 Five
Franklin Wonder Five
The Franklin Wonder Five was a 1920s basketball team from Indiana's "Hoosier Hysteria" era. With basketball king in Indiana, the team from Franklin was dubbed the “Wonder Five”. This small town about 20 miles south of Indianapolis produced a team that captured the Indiana State Basketball...
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 Vandivier
Fuzzy Vandivier
Robert P. "Fuzzy" Vandivier was a well-known high school and collegiate basketball player during the 1920s...
.
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 school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction 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 rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
residents migrated to cities making large high schools grow even larger, smaller high schools had only a mismatch to look forward to come tournament
Tournament
A 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 urban
Urban area
An 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 School
Crispus Attucks High School
Crispus 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 open to all schools regardless of race. 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 Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", 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 Museum
Indiana State Museum
The Indiana State Museum is a museum located within White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The museum houses exhibits on the history of Indiana from prehistoric times up to the present day. It has one of the four IMAX theaters in the state of Indiana.-History:The museum was started...
as well as at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
The 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, college and professional basketball in Indiana....
in New Castle, Indiana
New Castle, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile . There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile...
.
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 Bailey
Damon Bailey
Damon Bailey is a retired American basketball player, who then-Indiana University head coach Bob Knight called a "hot prospect" while recruiting him when Bailey was in eighth grade, as mentioned in author John Feinstein's bestselling book A Season on the Brink.- High school career :Bailey was...
'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. Hoosier Hysteria has not completely diminished however. For example, in 2003, DeKalb High School (1200 students) nearly defeated Pike High School (3000) students). Also, the Indiana tournament is still the most attended in the nation, with final four games for the two larger divisions regularly selling out Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
.
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 gymGym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean 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, the largest being the New Castle Fieldhouse, seating 9,325.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 TenBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
rivals Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
and Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
are the most notable, with national and conference championships to boast. Smaller schools such as the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
, Ball State University
Ball State University
Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings...
, Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
, the University of Evansville
University of Evansville
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...
, IUPUI, IPFW, and Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso 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, a nursing school and a law school...
add to the mix. Vincennes University
Vincennes University
Vincennes 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. And in Division II St. Joseph's, University of Indianapolis
University of Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis is a university located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The shortened name it uses is UIndy...
and University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana
The University of Southern Indiana is a public university in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. This publicly funded institution has been among the fastest growingcomprehensive state universities in Indiana. Record fall enrollment in 2010 reached 10,702...
have added their own successes to the legend of Indiana basketball. Wabash College
Wabash College
Wabash 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 traditional all-men's liberal arts colleges in the United States.-History:Wabash College was founded...
won the Men's Division III NCAA Championship in 1982 and their 1905 24-0 team was considered World Champions; DePauw and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
were Div III National Finalists. It is safe to say that the terms "Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
" and "March Madness
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
" have grown out of the tradition of Hoosier Hysteria.
Ball State Cardinals
The Ball State CardinalsBall State Cardinals
Ball 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 ConferenceMid-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 Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
Season Championships - Seven Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament Championships (and subsequent NCAA Tournament appearances)
- Bonzi WellsBonzi WellsGawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells is an American professional basketball player. A 6' 5" shooting guard, he last played for Capitanes de Arecibo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the main Puerto Rican basketball league. He played college basketball at Ball State University and was drafted in the...
, a Muncie, IndianaMuncie, 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 ConferenceMid-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 Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
's all-time leading scorer, and leading the NCAA in steals. - Ball State's highest finish in the NCAA Tournament came in 19901990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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 PaytonGary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
's Oregon State BeaversOregon State BeaversThe Oregon State Beavers is a name shared by all sports teams at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. The Beavers are part of the Pacific-12 Conference . Oregon State's mascot is Benny the Beaver...
and Coach Denny CrumDenny 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 CardinalsLouisville Cardinals men's basketballThe 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 been to 37 NCAA...
before falling to eventual champion UNLVUNLV Runnin' Rebels basketballThe UNLV Runnin' Rebels are a NCAA Division I men's basketball team who play at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 2011 when they received an at–large bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, earning an 8-seed in...
by 2, 69-67.
Butler Bulldogs
- Home of the legendary Hinkle FieldhouseHinkle FieldhouseHinkle 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. It is the sixth-oldest college basketball arena still in...
, the largest basketball arena in the world from 1928-1950 (including professional arenas). Hinkle hosted the Indiana High School Athletic AssociationIndiana 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 for many years (including Milan's 1954 championship), Butler UniversityButler UniversityButler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
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 20032003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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 New Orleans, Louisiana...
and 20072007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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 NITNIT Season Tip-OffThe 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 GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. http://www.nit.org/history/nit-preseason-year-by-year.html - In 2010, Butler reached their first Final Four as a #5 seed, beating #12 seeded UTEP in the first round behind a flurry of 3 pointers, edging out a very good #13 seed Murray State (who upset #4 seed Vanderbilt in the first round), and then in the Sweet 16, Butler upset #1 seed Syracuse, and in a thrilling Elite Eight game Butler upset #2 seed Kansas State. The Bulldogs made it to the Finals of the NCAA Tournament after defeating #5 seed Michigan State from the Midwest division. The Bulldogs played against #1 seeded Duke from the South in the finals but lost in a close game.
- In 2011, Butler returned to the NCAA title game for a second straight year. However, Butler lost the game 53-41, shooting a historically low 18.8 percent from the field -- the worst in any NCAA title game and the worst in any NCAA tourney game since Harvard against Ohio State in 1946. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2011/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=6294241
Evansville Purple Aces
- The Evansville Purple Aces have won five national championships in the NCAA College Division (now known as Division II): 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 ConferenceHorizon LeagueThe 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 ConferenceMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
, and won the 1999 regular season title. - Legendary Aces coach Arad McCutchanArad 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....
was the first NCAA College Division coach selected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of FameBasketball Hall of FameThe Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/mens/results/3744.
Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana's collegiate basketball squad, the Indiana HoosiersIndiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball...
men's basketball team has several championships to their credit:
- Five NCAA National Championships (19401940 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1940 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 8 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the participating 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...
, 19531953 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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...
, 19761976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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...
, 19811981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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...
, 19871987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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 - One NITNational Invitation TournamentThe 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 (19791979 National Invitation Tournament-Semifinals & Finals:* Third Place - Alabama 96, Ohio State 86...
) over rival Purdue; and one Runner-up finish (19851985 National Invitation Tournament-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Tennessee 100, Louisville 84...
) to a UCLA team featuring future member of the Indiana PacersIndiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers... - 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 UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national 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,...
(11) and Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
(7). Their eight trips to the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
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 BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, Indiana StateIndiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven 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 Tournament1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball 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'sMagic JohnsonEarvin "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. Their final record was 33-1. - Indiana StateIndiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven 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 NewsomJerry NewsomJerry Newsom is a former American collegiate basketball player.-Columbus:Jerry Newsom attended Columbus High School in Columbus, Indiana. He led the Bulldogs to consecutive undefeated seasons in 1963 and 1964; reaching the State Finals in 1964...
, was the 1968 NCAA College Division Runner-up. They lost to perennial power Kentucky Wesleyan. Their final record was 23-8. - Indiana StateIndiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
won the 1950 NAIANational Association of Intercollegiate AthleticsThe 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 allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Championship.- Eight players from the 1950 team played for Head Coach John Longfellow as the United States' Gold Medal Basketball team at the inaugural 1951 Pan-American Games.
- Indiana StateIndiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven 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 WoodenJohn Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
; 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 StateIndiana State UniversityIndiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven 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 MVCMissouri Valley ConferenceThe Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
Regular Season Championships and three MVC Tournament Championships. - Four Indiana Collegiate Conference (ICC) Regular Season Championships.
- Four Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) Regular Season Championships
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- The Irish women won the National Championship in 20012001 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament-West Regional - Spokane, WA:-Midwest Regional - Denver, CO:-East Regional - Pittsburgh, PA:-Final Four - St. Louis, MO :-See also:* 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament* 2001 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
.
Purdue Boilermakers
With their only men's National Championship coming in the days before the NCAA Tournament, the Purdue BoilermakersPurdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the official nickname 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, led by three-time All-American player and Indiana native John WoodenJohn WoodenJohn Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
. (Championship sponsored by the Helms Athletic FoundationHelms Athletic FoundationThe 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) - NCAA Tourney runner-up in 1969, semifinalist in 1980
- One NITNational Invitation TournamentThe 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 (19741974 National Invitation TournamentThe 1974 National Invitation Tournament was the 1974 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
); the first for the Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten ConferenceThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
and two Runner-up finishes (19791979 National Invitation Tournament-Semifinals & Finals:* Third Place - Alabama 96, Ohio State 86...
, 19821982 National Invitation Tournament-Semifinals & Finals:...
) and a third place finish (19811981 National Invitation Tournament-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Purdue 75, West Virginia 72...
) - Twenty-Two (22) 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 ConferenceBig Ten ConferenceThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
victories with 848.
The Boilermaker women have one National Championship (1999
1999 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
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 finish (2001
2001 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-West Regional - Spokane, WA:-Midwest Regional - Denver, CO:-East Regional - Pittsburgh, PA:-Final Four - St. Louis, MO :-See also:* 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament* 2001 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
to Notre Dame), seven Big Ten Championships, and have won six of the thirteen women's Big Ten Tournaments
Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
The 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...
.
St. Joseph's Pumas
- The Saint Joseph's Pumas, led by current coach Richard Davis, returned to the NCAA Elite Eight for the fourth time in 2010. The Pumas have numerous conference championships and 10 appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
They are members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference
Great Lakes Valley Conference
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes at the NCAA's Division II level. Member institutions are located in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin....
, the top Division II conference in the nation.
- Four Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season championships.
- One Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament championships.
- Memorable run in the 2010 NCAA Tournament2010 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball TournamentThe 2010 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball as a culmination of the 2009–10 basketball season. It began on March 13, 2010...
reaching the Elite Eight by make the tournament as an 'at-large' bid and preceding to win the Midwest Regional (3 games) by a total of 5 point. They won the Regional Championship by 1 point in a thrilling triple-overtime game, defeating Quincy University.
USI Screaming Eagles
- The USI Screaming EaglesUniversity of Southern IndianaThe University of Southern Indiana is a public university in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. This publicly funded institution has been among the fastest growingcomprehensive state universities in Indiana. Record fall enrollment in 2010 reached 10,702...
, led by current TennesseeTennessee Volunteers basketballThe Tennessee Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA men's basketball competition. The Volunteers currently compete in the Southeastern Conference...
coach Bruce PearlBruce PearlBruce Dean-Fredrick Pearl is an American college basketball coach who most recently served as head coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers men's team. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he obtained his first position as an assistant basketball coach. He was the first coach to lead...
, won the 1995 Division II National ChampionshipNCAA Men's Division II Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I...
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 Tournament1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 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 ShotThe Shot (Valparaiso University)For supporters of Valparaiso University's Crusaders, "The Shot" refers to a play that occurred in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament. The play came in Valpo's game against the University of Mississippi Rebels at The Myriad in Oklahoma City on March 13, 1998, and won the #13 seed Crusaders...
by Bryce DrewBryce DrewBryce Homer Drew is the head coach, and a former member, of the Valparaiso University Crusader men's basketball team...
.
Vincennes Trailblazers
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 College
Moberly Area Community College
Moberly Area Community College is a two-year college based in Moberly, Missouri, United States in addition to the main campus MACC has six off-campus sites across a large portion of Northeastern and central Missouri. The college was founded in 1927 as Moberly Junior College. In 2007 it enrolled...
and San Jacinto College
San Jacinto College
San Jacinto College is a community college in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the areas of Channelview ISD, Deer Park ISD, Galena Park ISD, La Porte ISD, and Pasadena ISD. The College now also serves Sheldon ISD,...
- Central, which each have four titles.
The Vincennes program began in 1903, however, no teams were formed from 1910–1912 and 1931-1950.
- 3 NJCAANational Junior College Athletic AssociationThe National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
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 NJCAANational Junior College Athletic AssociationThe National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
National Tournament- 28 appearances in the NJCAANational Junior College Athletic AssociationThe National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
finals.
- 28 appearances in the NJCAA
- 34 NJCAANational Junior College Athletic AssociationThe National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
Region 12 championships. - 9 NJCAANational Junior College Athletic AssociationThe National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
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 FieldhouseConseco FieldhouseConseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
- Mascots-Boomer and Bowser
- Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
- Bobby "Slick" Leonard
- Larry BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
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 FieldhouseConseco FieldhouseConseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
- Tamika CatchingsTamika CatchingsTamika Devonne Catchings is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA and Turkish team Galatasaray. 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...
- Katie DouglasKatie DouglasKathryn Elizabeth “Katie” Douglas is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA...
- Mascot-Freddy FeverFreddy FeverFreddy 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 tournamentsBig Ten Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
The 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, and Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
has hosted every tournament since 2002, as well as the 2000 edition. The Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
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...
began a five-year stint at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2008.
Final Four
IndianapolisIndianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, headquarters of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
and 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 six men's NCAA Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s (1980, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2010) and two women's (2005, 2011). Indianapolis is scheduled to host the men's 2015 Final Four. Previous events were held in the Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena was an indoor arena, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530, for basketball and 15,993, for ice hockey.-History:...
or the RCA Dome
RCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
, but given the new stadium built for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
began hosting Final Four events in 2010. 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 ChampionshipFIBA World Championship
The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...
, an event that takes place on even years opposite the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. Since inaugural event in 1950, Indianapolis is the only city in the United States
United States
The 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:
|
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 Terence Gilbert "Terry" Dischinger is a retired American basketball player in the NBA. He currently practices orthodontics.-High school career:... Katie Douglas Kathryn Elizabeth “Katie” Douglas is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA... Jay Edwards Jay Edwards is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2nd round of the 1989 NBA Draft. A 6'4" guard from Indiana University, Edwards played in only 4 games for the Clippers in his NBA career. He entered the NBA after playing only two... Rick Fox Ulrich Alexander "Rick" Fox is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.-Early life:... Winston Garland Winston Kinnard Garland is an American former professional basketball player on the point guard position. He played collegiately at the Southeastern Community College for two seasons , and then at theMissouri State University for the two following seasons... Eric Gordon Eric Ambrose Gordon, Jr. , nicknamed "EJ", is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. In high school, he was named "Mr. Basketball" of Indiana during his senior year while playing at North Central High School... Greg Graham Gregory Lawrence Graham is a retired American professional basketball player.... Del Harris Delmer William Harris is a basketball coach, currently the head coach for the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League. He was an assistant coach for the NBA's New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Dallas Mavericks... Gordon Hayward Gordon Daniel Hayward , is an American basketball player for the Utah Jazz. He played college basketball at Butler University in Indianapolis for two seasons before leaving for the NBA. Hayward emerged as a superstar in his sophomore year, leading his team to a runner-up finish in the 2010 NCAA... Alan Henderson Alan Lybrooks Henderson is an American former 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... George Hill George Hill may refer to:*George Hill , American basketball player*George Hill , American race car driver*George Hill , 4-time U.S... Bill Hodges -Notes:Hodges is a member of the Indiana State University Athletic Hall of Fame; the 1978-79 Men's Basketball Team were inducted in 1999. Hodges is a former golf coach, coaching the Armstrong Atlantic State University Pirates before moving to Indiana State. He is also a Vietnam-era veteran of the... Jared Jeffries Jared Scott Carter Jeffries is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks. He was drafted in 2002 by the Washington Wizards as the 11th overall pick... |
Roger Kaiser Roger Allen Kaiser is a retired American basketball player and coach. Kaiser was a two-time All-American player at Georgia Tech and won four NAIA national championships as a coach at the University of West Georgia and Life University.... Billy Keller William Curry "Billy" Keller is an American former professional basketball player.-1961-1965:... Shawn Kemp Shawn T. Kemp is a former American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for 14 seasons. He was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.-Early years:... Tommy Kron Thomas M. "Tommy" Kron was an American former professional basketball player. A 6-5 guard, Kron, nicknamed "Tommy," played his rookie season with the St... Courtney Lee Courtney Lee is an American basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 22nd pick overall in the 2008 NBA Draft... Troy Lewis Troy Lewis is the fourth all-time leading scorer in Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball history with 2,038 points. He played guard for Purdue from 1985 to 1988.... Kenny Lofton Kenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed... 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.... Branch McCracken Branch 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 McGinnis George 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 1971... |
Eric Montross Eric Scott Montross is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA.... Rick Mount Richard 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.-Early life:... Stretch Murphy Charles 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 Oden Gregory 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 Painter Matt Painter is the current head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team.-Playing career:Matt Painter attended Delta High School in Muncie and played basketball for current basketball coach and former athletic director, Stan Daugherty... Bobby Plump Bobby 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 Popovich Gregg Popovich is an American basketball coach, and is currently the head coach of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs. With the resignation of Jerry Sloan as head coach of the Utah Jazz on February 10, 2011, Popovich is the longest tenured coach in the NBA and also the... Zach Randolph Zachary Randolph , nicknamed Z-Bo, is an American professional basketball player currently with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA... Ruth Riley Ruth Ellen Riley is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Women's National Basketball Association . Her Notre Dame team won the NCAA women's championship in 2001, and her Detroit Shock team won the WNBA championship in 2003 and 2006... Glenn Robinson Glenn A. "Big Dog" Robinson is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He last played during the 2004–05 season.-Early life:... Oscar Robertson Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks... Dave Schellhase Dave Schellhase is a retired American collegiate basketball coach and basketball player in the National Basketball Association .-Evansville North:... Jerry Sichting Jerry Lee Sichting is a retired American basketball player in the NBA.-1972-1975:Jerry Sichting, the 6'1", 175 lb guard, attended Martinsville High School, located in Martinsville, Indiana... Norm Sloan Norman Sloan , nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," was an American college basketball player and coach. Sloan played college basketball for North Carolina State University, and thereafter, he was the men's basketball head coach for Presbyterian College, The Citadel, the University of Florida and North... Scott Skiles Scott 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... |
Tim Stoddard Timothy 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 Taylor (salesman) Charles 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... Jeff Teague Jeff Teague is an American automotive designer and the son of the renowned Industrial Designer, Richard A. Teague. His father was famous for designing notable American Motors Corporation cars such as the Gremlin, AMX, and Pacer.- Design work :... Chris Thomas (basketball) Chris Thomas is a Polish-American professional basketball player who is an alumnus of Pike High School and the University of Notre Dame.-Personal:... Deshaun Thomas Deshaun Thomas graduated high school as a highly-regarded five-star player who verbally committed to play basketball in college for the Ohio State University Buckeyes when he was still a high school freshman. Thomas was also recruited by in-state powers Indiana University and Purdue University... Monte Towe Monte Corwin Towe is an American basketball coach and retired player.Towe attended Oak Hill High School in Converse, Indiana... Pete Trgovich Pete 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 Vandivier Robert P. "Fuzzy" Vandivier was a well-known high school and collegiate basketball player during the 1920s... Sharon Versyp Sharon Versyp is a former American basketball player and current head coach of the Purdue University women’s basketball team.-References:... Bonzi Wells Gawen DeAngelo "Bonzi" Wells is an American professional basketball player. A 6' 5" shooting guard, he last played for Capitanes de Arecibo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the main Puerto Rican basketball league. He played college basketball at Ball State University and was drafted in the... Randy Wittman Randy Scott Wittman is a retired American basketball player, in the guard position, and former coach of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-College:... Michael Warren (actor) Michael 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.-College basketball career:... Stephanie White Stephanie White-McCarty was a 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 Basketball and was... John Wooden John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games... |
Non-natives who gained basketball fame in Indiana's tradition include:
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Mark Jackson Mark Jackson may refer to:* Mark "Jacko" Jackson , Australian rules footballer and actor* Mark Jackson, HarperCollins attorney associated with Judith Regan's firing and subsequent receipt of an apology and legal settlement... Gene Keady Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Keady is a basketball coach. Currently an assistant coach at St. John's, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005.-Kansas State :... George King (basketball) George Smith King was an American professional basketball player and collegiate coach. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia.-1946-1950:... Ward Lambert Ward Louis "Piggy" Lambert was an American college men's basketball coach. He was born in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1890, Lambert and his family moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana. He played basketball at Crawfordsville High School and Wabash College, both under coach Ralph Jones, who himself... Reggie Miller Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers... Carl Nicks (basketball) Orlando Carl Nicks is a retired American American NBA player. At 6'1" 175 lb, Nicks played guard during his career.-Basketball career:... |
Fred Schaus Frederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University... Jerry Sloan Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season... Rik Smits Rik 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... Fred Zollner Fred Zollner was called "Mr. Pro Basketball" as the founder and longtime owner along with his sister Janet 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,... |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Woodson
See also
- HoosiersHoosiersHoosiers is a 1986 sports film about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship. It is loosely based on the Milan High School team that won the 1954 state championship....
, a 1986 film about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship. Loosely based on the 1954 Milan state championship team. - Blue ChipsBlue ChipsBlue 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; it contains roles by NBA stars Shaquille O'NealShaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
, Anfernee Hardaway, and cameos by Larry BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, Rick PitinoRick 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 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 BoeheimJim BoeheimJames Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...
, Jerry TarkanianJerry TarkanianJerry Tarkanian , also known as "Tark the Shark", is a retired college basketball coach known as one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history...
, Rick FoxRick FoxUlrich Alexander "Rick" Fox is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.-Early life:...
and current Purdue Head Coach Matt PainterMatt PainterMatt Painter is the current head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team.-Playing career:Matt Painter attended Delta High School in Muncie and played basketball for current basketball coach and former athletic director, Stan Daugherty...
. The game segments were filmed in Frankfort, IndianaFrankfort, IndianaAs of the census of 2000, there were 16,662 people, 6,279 households, and 4,175 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,240.5 people per square mile . There were 6,682 housing units at an average density of 1,299.6 per square mile...
. Numerous other segments of the film were shot around the state of Indiana. - Indiana High School Boys Basketball ChampionsIndiana High School Boys Basketball Champions1911 - Crawfordsville 1912 - Lebanon 1913 - Wingate 1914 - Wingate 1915 - Thorntown 1916 - Lafayette 1917 – Lebanon 1918 - Lebanon 1919 - Bloomington 1920 - Franklin1921 - Franklin 1922 - Franklin 1923 - Vincennes 1924 - Martinsville...
- Indiana "Mr. Basketball" award
- Illinois high school boys basketball championshipIllinois high school boys basketball championshipThe Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championship is a single elimination tournament held each spring. It is organized by the Illinois High School Association ....
, known as "America's Original March MadnessMarch MadnessMarch Madness may refer to:*NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, a single-elimination college basketball tournament held each spring in the United States...
," the neighboring state of IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
has a similar relationship and history with basketball