Chris Williams

When an IU fan reflects on the historical success of the Indiana University basketball program, many seasons come to mind, most notably the five national title seasons (1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, and 1987). If you were to review Big Ten title seasons, one in particular might easily be overlooked.

The 1966-67 Indiana Hoosiers basketball squad was in many ways unique: it would be the only Big Ten title team during the Lou Watson coaching era (1965-1971). Watson, a former player under IU coaching legend Branch McCracken, went on to succeed his college coach in the fall of 1965. McCracken had decided to retire following the 1964-65 season after 24 seasons in Bloomington.

Watson’s first season (’65-’66) was a disappointment, as the Hoosiers finished in the cellar of the Big Ten and had an overall record of 8-16. One could argue that this result was to be somewhat expected given the circumstances of Watson having to replace someone like McCracken. Nevertheless, Hoosier fans were hoping for a vast improvement for Watson’s second season.

Two players would stand out as returning juniors in 1966-67: Vernon Payne of Michigan City and Butch Joyner out of New Castle. Players in this era were still barred from freshmen eligibility, but both individuals had shown great ability on the court as sophomores. Payne averaged 14.2 ppg and Joyner averaged 12.4 ppg.

Pre-conference play resulted in a respectable 6-3 record. This included a trip to the Far West Classic, a throwback to the McCracken era. The Hoosiers showed signs of brilliant play during the pre-Big Ten season, but consistency remained an issue. The conference opener against Iowa demonstrated this. Down by as many as 12 points in the first half, the Hoosiers were not able to stop a barrage of Hawkeye scorers en route to an 84-73 loss.

The Big Ten home opener against Minnesota would right the ship as Indiana overwhelmed a weaker Golden Gophers squad 83-68. Butch Joyner led all scorers with 23 points, while Erv Inniger, a senior and native of Berne, Indiana, added 13 points. The victory over Minnesota was the first of six straight victories, five against conference foes (IU also defeated DePaul on January 30th, 72-70). During this winning stretch, the Hoosiers found themselves winning comfortably in the friendly confines of the IU Fieldhouse, but barely escaped with single-digit victories at Ohio State and at Minnesota.

Indiana entered the month of February atop the Big Ten conference standings at 5-1. But the six-game winning streak came to an end at Michigan State on February 13th as the Hoosiers were no match for the Spartans, losing 86-77. IU would bounce back though, winning its next two games at Northwestern and at home against Illinois. Five Hoosiers scored in double-figures in the victory over Illinois, led by Vern Payne with 22 points, senior Bill Russell (from Columbus, Indiana) with 19, and Butch Joyner with 16.

Indiana once again saw themselves atop the Big Ten conference standings at 7-2, one game ahead of Michigan State. With five games remaining, it was anyone’s race for the conference crown. As Big Ten play rolled along, Coach Lou Watson recognized the improvement over the season prior: “I suffered through last year, but we are making progress. We don’t have a super star, but we have a fine bunch of hustling kids and they work well together.”

The rematch against Iowa at home on February 25th proved to be the heartbreaker game of the season, as the Hoosiers would be nipped in OT 75-74. Iowa’s Gerry Jones grabbed a rebound and scored the go-ahead basket with 12 seconds remaining. Indiana would bounce back, narrowly, defeating a depleted Michigan squad (UM super star Cazzie Russell had graduated in 1966) in Ann Arbor, 98-96. Indiana’s lead in the Big Ten standings remained at one game with three games remaining in the season.

A pivotal matchup against Illinois in Champaign on March 4th was next for the Hoosiers, and a Big Ten title was to be had.

Illinois, which had been dealing with numerous off-the-court issues involving a slush fund scandal for paying basketball players that was finally revealed in December of 1966, emerged victorious over the Hoosiers 80-70. The crushing loss put Indiana and Michigan State into a tie atop the conference standings with three other Big Ten foes only one game behind. The Hoosiers would have to take care of business with the final two games of the season at home against Michigan and Purdue.

The March 6th matchup against Michigan truly tested the will of Indiana, and its ability to grind out a victory. Trailing at one point by ten to the last place Wolverines, the Hoosiers clawed their way back to a 96-90 win in a game that saw eight lead changes and ten ties. Free-throw shooting proved to be crucial down the stretch for Indiana as Vernon Payne, Bill Russell, and Butch Joyner hit eight total down to secure the win.

Arch-rival Purdue closed out the regular season for Indiana, who remained tied for first place with Michigan State in the Big Ten conference standings. If the Hoosiers could beat the Boilermakers, they would be crowned Big Ten champs for the first time since 1958 and be headed to the NCAA Tournament. (A Big Ten rule at the time declared that should a tie happen in the conference standings at season’s end, the team with the most recent NCAA appearance would not receive the bid for that year. Needless to say, so much was riding on this Purdue game.)

Purdue, who came to Bloomington winners of five of their last seven games, gave the Hoosiers a true test, including a late rally that almost spoiled the hopes of Hoosier Nation. Led by Butch Joyner’s 22 points, Indiana prevailed 95-82. The victory brought Indiana’s overall record to 17-7 on the year, 10-4 in conference play, for a share of the Big Ten title with Michigan State; and it sent the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament for only the second time in 23 years.

IU would face Virginia Tech in the opener of the NCAA Tournament Mideast Regional in Evanston, Illinois. Despite being the favorite going into the game, the Hoosiers struggled mightily on the offensive end going 14 of 29 from the foul line. Leading scorer Butch Joyner was held to only 14 points. In the end, the Hokies advanced with a 79-70 victory.  Indiana would win the regional third place game (this would ultimately be phased out by the NCAA in 1981) over Tennessee 51-44, but the Hurryin’ Hoosiers season had come to a close.

The Lou Watson era is not defined by many high points. While his career winning percentage hovered just around 52% (65-60 overall), four of his six seasons in Bloomington found the Hoosiers in last place in conference play. While the 1966-67 squad may not stand out in terms of dominance like that of the 1975-76 team, Watson’s bunch became known for its “team-oriented” approach, and brought a time for celebration on the hardwood, even for just a brief moment.

**Historical note** With the Indiana football team claiming a share of the Big Ten title, 1967 is the only year in IU sports history where the football and basketball programs were both champions of the Big Ten.

Collector’s note: For most collectors of any team, tickets usually are a central part of their collection. Ideally, collectors look to gather tickets from significant games and milestones. For Indiana collectors, this would include stubs from Indiana’s NCAA titles, Calbert Cheaney’s Big Ten scoring record game, etc. One may overlook an NIT title ticket for a collection, but it belongs just the same.

My father was a student at Indiana University from 1972-1976 and was lucky enough to witness the greatest four-year period in IU basketball history. Those four teams would accomplish an NCAA title in 1976, a Final Four appearance in 1973, four straight Big Ten championships, and an overall record of 108-11.

When the conclusion of the 1975-76 season came and went, many Hoosier faithful expected a period of rebuilding. This was evident with the 16-11 overall record of the 1976-77 team. The 1977-78 squad, led by seniors Jim Wisman and Wayne Radford, improved to a 21-8 record.

Still, many questions remained with a talented but young squad that would be the face of Indiana basketball for the 1978-79 season.

Bob Knight’s 1978-79 squad was a mixed bag, and with that came uncertainty about expectations. The only experienced starters to return were junior Mike Woodson (who Knight would name captain), a native of Indianapolis, and Anderson native sophomore Ray Tolbert. Junior Butch Carter, sophomore Steve Risley, and freshmen Randy Wittman and Landon Turner were expected to be key contributors as well.

Indiana was given a preseason AP ranking of 10th despite the question marks.

Indiana’s season did not get off to a pleasant start as the Soviet Union National Team came to Bloomington in exhibition play on November 11th and whipped the Hoosiers 68-55. The Hoosiers would shoot a dismal 33% from the field and have major issues with the height of the Soviet team (three starters averaged 6’10”, 7’0″, and 7’4″).

Coach Bob Knight called it the most talented Soviet team he had seen in several years, but also admitted that the game plan was not followed well, as the Hoosiers rushed shots and were out of tempo.

Participation in the Sea Wolf Classic in Alaska would kick off the regular season for Indiana. The distant trip would prove disastrous in more ways than one.

Indiana would drop its first two games of the tournament to Pepperdine and Texas A&M, before finally getting its first win of the season against Penn State in the 7th place game, 86-65.

Returning to the friendly confines of Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers would win their home opener against Morehead State, 80-37. Junior Ray Tolbert would lead the Hoosiers with 20 points while sophomore Tommy Baker would add 14 points in the victory.

Indiana’s win streak would stall at two when IU was dealt another loss (their third in five games) by the Georgetown Hoyas in Landover, Maryland, 60-54. Mike Woodson, Ray Tolbert, and Steve Risley would all foul out as the Hoyas went 23-32 from the foul line compared to Indiana’s 2-6.

Bradley University came to Bloomington on December 9th and the Hoosiers were able to bounce back with an 80-64 victory behind 26 points and 10 rebounds from Steve Risley. But the gratification of a solid victory would be short-term for Bob Knight and his team.

In the days following the Bradley victory, Knight became aware that eight of his players had smoked marijuana while on the Alaska trip. Three players would subsequently be dismissed from the team: senior Jim Roberson (a member of Indiana’s undefeated NCAA title team in 1976), Tommy Baker, and Don Cox. Additionally, Knight placed five players on immediate probation: Mike Woodson, Ray Tolbert, Eric Kirchner, Phil Isenbarger, and Landon Turner.

Despite the obvious distraction to the program, Indiana pulled an upset victory over rival Kentucky 68-67 on December 16th. Four consecutive victories followed, over the likes of Davidson and Washington (Indiana Classic) and Washington and Oregon (Far West Classic). Indiana would drop the title game of the Far West Classic to a Big Ten foe in Michigan State (the eventual NCAA champion), 74-57.

Indiana would close pre-conference play with an 8-4 record.

Big Ten play officially began for Indiana when 4th-ranked Illinois came to Bloomington on January 4th, 1979. The undefeated Illini proved too much for the Hoosiers, winning 65-61 and outscoring Indiana 10-2 in the final minutes of the game. Ray Tolbert would lead Indiana with 18 points.

Over the course of their next four games, Indiana would struggle, going 1-3 including road losses to Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan State. Indiana would lose the three road contests by an average of 23 points. The lone victory came against in-state rival Purdue on January 6, 63-54.

Four of Indiana’s next six games would be played in Assembly Hall, and Hoosiers fans hoped the longer home stand would right the ship of their rocky season. Mike Woodson’s 28-point performance would lift him to 6th on Indiana’s all-time scoring list following the 74-45 win over Northwestern on January 20th. A win against Wisconsin would follow five days later. Indiana would let a key road win against a top conference foe slip through their fingers as the Hoosiers would lose an OT heartbreaker to Ohio State, 66-63 on January 27th. The loss would drop the Hoosiers to 3-5 in Big Ten play.

A victory over Michigan, which included 21 points from freshman Landon Turner, would be the first of three straight victories (the latter two over Ohio State and Northwestern). Post-game comments from Bob Knight, especially in the Michigan win, showed his praise for the young team, but also continuous frustration with turnovers (28 in the Michigan game) and how his teams would build large leads, only to fade toward the end of games.

Indiana stood 6-5 in conference play (14-9 overall) with seven games remaining. Two straight losses against Michigan and Michigan State would be followed with three straight victories against Wisconsin (68-62), 12th-ranked Iowa (64-62), and Minnesota (71-46).

Indiana would travel to West Lafayette for a battle against Purdue, and a possible NCAA Tournament berth on the line. The Hoosiers did not help themselves at all, shooting a cold 33% from the field, including going ten minutes without a field goal in the second half. Purdue would go on to win 55-48. Mike Woodson would lead the Hoosiers with 20 points and freshman Randy Wittman would add 15.

The season finale would take Indiana to Champaign to face an Illinois squad that had defeated the Hoosiers to start the Big Ten season.  It would be the “Mike Woodson Show”, as Indiana defeated the Fighting Illini 72-60 behind 48 points from the junior Woodson (29 in the first half). Woodson’s scoring performance was the most from an Indiana Hoosier since Scott May’s 41-point performance against Wisconsin in 1976.

The Hoosiers would finish the regular season 18-12 overall (10-8 in conference), good enough for a berth in the National Invitation Tournament and a first round match up against Texas Tech in Lubbock. IU would take care of an over-confident Red Raider squad, leading 15-2 early, and ending with a 78-59 victory behind 30 points from Mike Woodson.

The victory would give Indiana the opportunity to host Alcorn State in the second round. Fans in Assembly Hall were not expecting Alcorn State to give Indiana a run for their money, but with only :08 seconds remaining in the game, Indiana only led by two points. Two free throws by freshman Randy Wittman would seal a 73-69 win and send the Hoosiers to Madison Square Garden for the NIT finals.

A familiar foe in Ohio State would be the Hoosiers’ semi-final opponent. Implementing a stingy zone defense, IU took care of business to win 65-55. This meant an all-Big Ten final as the Hoosiers and Boilermakers would meet for the third time in the season on March 21st.

Purdue had blown out Alabama in their semi-final match up behind 42 points from Joe Barry Carroll. Shutting down Purdue’s Carroll was key for coach Bob Knight’s game plan, just as shutting down Indiana star Mike Woodson would be the goal of Purdue.

The Boilermakers held a tight four point lead at half. A back and forth battle lead to a 52-51 Purdue lead with 4:30 remaining. Knight instituted a rarely used tactic by Indiana and had his team stall by routinely passing the ball for the next three-plus minutes. A pass down low to IU center Ray Tolbert was stolen by Purdue with just over a minute remaining, leading to a desperation foul against Purdue center Joe Barry Carroll. Carroll would miss the front end of a 1-1 free throw opportunity, giving Indiana the ball down one point with a chance to win the game.

Knight exhausted Indiana’s remaining three timeouts in an attempt to confuse the Purdue defensive strategy. Mike Woodson would be the go-to for Indiana’s last shot option, but was heavily guarded, leaving Indiana’s Butch Carter with a 20-foot jump shot at the top of the key which fell through the hoop, giving Indiana a one-point edge.

A late shot attempt by Purdue would not fall and Indiana would be crowned NIT Champions. Landon Turner would lead Indiana with 13 points, followed by 12 a piece from Butch Carter and Ray Tolbert.

The conclusion to the 1978-79 season was one that many would not have expected considering the trials and tribulations that occurred during the year. Despite the setbacks of tough losses and off-court issues, Indiana would return to Bloomington with championship hardware.

Additionally, a young but talented squad would only get better with time.

The story is a consistent one among Hoosier fans …

Raised on the storied tradition of Indiana University basketball, when one becomes old enough to fully appreciate it they discover “their guy.” Their hero.

For myself, who began to really appreciate IU basketball during the 1989-90 season (I was only six at the time), “my guy” became Eric Anderson.

My parents and grandparents were both season-ticket holders, but I was fortunate to maybe attend 1-2 games that season. Still, I was lucky enough to watch “Uncle” Chuck Marlowe on Channel 4, or listen to the master Don Fischer on the radio.

Needless to say, for me, IU basketball was much better when Eric Anderson was on the floor.

Eric Anderson passed away on December 10th at the age of 48. Like many, I was floored to hear the news.

Another Hoosier legend gone too soon.

A graduate of St. Francis DeSales High School in Chicago, Anderson was named Illinois’ Mr. Basketball, as well as a McDonald’s All-American. Rated 17th in the nation according to recruiting guru Bob Gibbons, it was clear that IU coach Bob Knight was looking forward to the arrival of the 6’9″ big man: “Eric can shoot the ball, handle the ball, and pass it. I would say he will fit right in with everything we want to do”. 

Ascending on Bloomington in the fall of 1988, Anderson would “fit in” immediately. In fact, he became the first IU freshman since Isaiah Thomas in 1979 to start his very first game. Anderson made the most of that initial starting opportunity as he chipped in eight points in a victory over Illinois State on November 19th.

Anderson’s play throughout his freshman year was impressive, especially in conference play, as the forward became a reliable scorer thanks to a solid mid-range shooting game, as well as a disciplined approach on the floor. He would go on to average 11.9 ppg (third highest on the team) during his first season at IU and earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors as a member of a team that surprised many in the college basketball world by winning a Big Ten conference title in 1989 (IU had lost Keith Smart and Dean Garrett to graduation the season prior).

In many ways, Anderson would be looked upon for leadership despite only being a sophomore for the 1990-91 season as the Hoosier squad lacked upper-classmen with the graduation of Joe Hillman. Seniors Jeff Oliphant and Mark Robinson had never been more than minor role players during their IU careers.

Additionally, Indiana boasted a recruiting class of seven freshmen, dubbed the “Magnificent Seven,” meaning IU’s squad consisted of 10 freshmen or sophomores. Freshman Calbert Cheaney, one of the less-heralded from Bob Knight’s incoming recruiting class, burst on the scene averaging an impressive 17.1 ppg. Anderson would be second on the team in scoring at 16.3 ppg and would lead the team in rebounding at seven per game.

Despite having spurts of consistency, Indiana’s youth would be its weakness during much of the 1989-90 season, as the Hoosiers would finish 18-11 overall (8-10 in conference play).

I was fortunate enough to meet Eric as a seven year-old in January of 1991.

My grandfather, who at the time had just retired as Bursar of Indiana University, took me to a Pizza Hut here in Bloomington where we met Anderson. I had not known at the time that I was going to meet him, so needless to say, I was in awe.

He sat with us for over 30 minutes, during which I asked him questions about anything from what practices were like with Coach Knight to if food tasted different in college. He could not have been a more genuine, outgoing individual, and it remains one of most cherished moments of my childhood.

Big things were expected for not only Eric Anderson in his junior season, but the entire talented Indiana squad. Flashes of greatness had been seen from the now sophomores the season prior, and along with highly touted freshman Damon Bailey coming in, hopes of a rebound from the season prior could be heard all over the state.

Some who would watch the season unfold might’ve have observed a digression from Eric Anderson in terms of scoring, but this was only due to Calbert Cheaney emerging as Indiana’s main shooting threat (Cheaney would average 21.6 ppg).

Those around the team at that time speak about how Anderson embraced his role in whatever capacity was asked of him. Still, Anderson would average another solid average of 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

The 1990-91 squad rebounded in convincing fashion from their losing record in Big Ten play a season prior to clinching a share of a Big Ten title with a 15-3 conference record. Additionally, the three Big Ten losses were only by a combined 11 points.

Indiana’s five starters would all return for the 1991-92 season including Anderson, now a senior.  With the talent the roster possessed, Indiana was once again in the conversation among teams expected to contend for a Big Ten title.

The season would not get off to a great start as the Hoosiers would be blown out by UCLA 87-72 in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic. Freshman Alan Henderson would lead IU with 20 points, while Anderson added 14 points. Indiana would have only one other setback in pre-conference play (a loss to Kentucky on December 7th) leading to a 9-2 record. Conference play would be a story of strong stretches and fizzling performances for Indiana, leading to a 14-4 record, including dropping two of their final three games.

In his final home game, Anderson would go out on a high note with 15 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Hoosiers defeat Wisconsin (their 15th straight win over the Badgers at Assembly Hall) 66-41. A recording of the game and Anderson’s senior speech can be found here (thanks to Dr. Galen Clavio).

Indiana would then head to Boise, ID as the #2 seed in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament. Despite the ups and downs of the Big Ten season, the Hoosiers would find their consistency during post-season play.

After a first-round victory over Eastern Illinois, the Hoosiers would face LSU and their imposing center phenom, Shaquille O’Neal. Despite allowing O’Neal to score 36 points, Indiana would limit other aspects of LSU’s offense en route to a 89-79 win.

After the game, Anderson would comment on his defensive assignment of O’Neal: “I was just out there hackin’ him up and hoping for the best”.  Indiana would face off against Florida State in their Sweet Sixteen matchup and would defeat the Seminoles 85-74. Anderson would score 24 points to lead the Hoosiers.

Next up for the Hoosiers would be a rematch against UCLA, the team that embarrassed IU at the start of the season. In what is still discussed as one of the most dominant Indiana performances in their NCAA history, the Hoosiers pounded the Bruins 106-79. Calbert Cheaney, Eric Anderson, and Damon Bailey would combine for 62 points in the win.

The loss for UCLA would be the worst in 89 career NCAA games stretching over 28 appearances in the tournament. The victory would propel Indiana to their first NCAA Final Four since 1987, and Anderson’s strong play in the West Regional would earn him Most Outstanding Player recognition.

Duke, the defending NCAA Champions, were up next.

Indiana came out hot against the Blue Devils and led at halftime 42-37. The lead would be short-lived as Duke came out in fury in the second half, ultimately stretching a lead out to 13 points.

Many Hoosier faithful will point to the foul discrepancy as a major factor in the outcome of the game. While Duke would commit 18 fouls for the game, Indiana would be called for 33 fouls, which would lead to Alan Henderson, Damon Bailey, Greg Graham, and Calbert Cheaney to foul out.

Despite a heroic fury of three pointers from Todd Leary — nine points in 26 seconds — Indiana would fail to move on to the NCAA title game, losing to Duke 81-78. The Blue Devils would go on to win a second-straight NCAA title, the first team to do so since UCLA in 1973.

The loss would mean the end of Eric Anderson’s impressive yet humbling Indiana collegiate career. Anderson would leave Indiana in 1992 with 1,715 career points, 5th all time. Today, his point total is still good for 11th overall. Additionally, his 825 career rebounds remains top 10 in Indiana history.

Anderson was a beloved figure in IU basketball history. However, he was so much more than that, especially to his teammates.  Pat Graham, Anderson’s teammate at Indiana from 1989-1992, said it best: “He needs to be talked about.  When you say Eric Anderson, my first thought is not a basketball player. He just is a great teammate. Most people have no clue what I mean by that, but the players that played with him, they know exactly what I mean.”

We’ve all seen the 30 for 30 series from ESPN that focuses on some of the most fascinating sports stories ever told. That series inspired me to focus on specific Indiana University athletics stories that merit significant attention. 

This post presents a series of “what-ifs.” It is fun to wonder about what the impact might have been — not only for the athletic program but the university itself — had any of these circumstances actually occurred.

Any of them could have significantly altered the course of collegiate sports history.

1. What if … Larry Bird had stayed and played at Indiana?

Larry Bird was an NBA legend for the Boston Celtics from 1979-1992. He led the Celtics to three NBA Championships and was named the Most Valuable Player in the league for three straight seasons from 1984-1986. 

However, Bird’s story began in tiny French Lick, Indiana, about 50 miles south of Bloomington.

Bird’s affinity for the game of basketball was evident as he became the star for Springs Valley High School. As a senior during the 1973-74 season, Bird averaged 30.3 ppg and 13.3 rpg en route to becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer and being named an Indiana All-Star.

Despite over 50 universities and colleges pleading for his services on their basketball team, Bird narrowed his list to Indiana, Purdue, and Indiana State. Bird was ultimately drawn to the lure and mystique of the Indiana program, like many in the basketball-crazed state. He met with coach Bob Knight and signed his official letter of intent in late April of 1974.

Once he arrived on the IU campus that fall, Bird began to feel the size of Indiana University and Bloomington overwhelm him. Having grown up in a town of only 3,000 people, Bird felt isolated and very much an outsider.

Not only that, but he wasn’t exactly receiving a warm reception from some of soon-to-be teammates. Wayne Radford, who was entering IU as a freshman like Bird, and who had been a teammate of Bird’s on Indiana’s All-Star team, remembered that Bird was often overlooked in pre-season pick up games at Assembly Hall.

College basketball insider Seth Davis’s book When March Went Mad outlined other obstacles that Bird faced that fall, including being constantly chastised by IU big man Kent Benson. Additionally, Davis’ book outlined how Indiana coach Bob Knight constantly gave Bird the cold shoulder during their limited interactions. 

All in all, Bird felt out of place, and felt that staying put in Bloomington was not an option. He eventually left the campus without telling any of the Indiana coaching staff, only speaking to his roommate Jim Wisman.

Bird, unable to find a ride back to French Lick, hitchhiked back to his hometown, never to return as an Indiana University student. Years later, Indiana head coach Bob Knight stated, “Larry Bird is one of my great mistakes. I was negligent in realizing what he needed at that time in his life.”

Bird eventually found himself in Terre Haute, enrolling at Indiana State University in the fall of 1975. Following a redshirt season, Bird became an instant success on the hardwood. He led his Sycamore team to the 1979 NCAA National Championship game, falling to Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans. 

Bird graduated from ISU with a career 30.3 ppg average, was named the National Player of the Year in 1979, and went on to have a prolific NBA career with the Boston Celtics.

But can you imagine Bird playing for Bob Knight and the Hoosiers instead of the Sycamores?

Bird would have been on Indiana’s undefeated 1976 national championship team — which is just mind-boggling to think about. And remember — after dominating in 1975 and 1976, Indiana dropped off to 14-13 overall and 9-9 in the conference in 1977 even with senior Kent Benson and freshman Mike Woodson. With Bird, the Hoosiers likely would have stayed right near the top of college basketball.

Moving beyond that season, players like Bird, Woodson, Ray Tolbert, Randy Wittman, and others would have carried the torch until Isiah Thomas’ arrival in 1980, and the Hoosiers might have enjoyed the kind of sustained dominance very few programs (perhaps only UCLA) ever have.

We’re left to do nothing but wonder.

2. What if … Branch McCracken, not John Wooden, had become the Wizard of Westwood?

Emmett “Branch” McCracken had become a Hoosier legend even before returning to his alma mater to be head coach in 1938.

During his three-year Indiana playing career from 1928-1930, McCracken was one of the most dominant players in the Big Ten. In many ways, McCracken was responsible for the development of fundamentals that personify the “pivot,” or center position, on the floor. 

McCracken was named All-American in 1930, the same year he led the Big Ten in scoring. He graduated as Indiana’s all-time leading scorer.

After a brief coaching stint at Ball State Teachers College, McCracken returned to Bloomington to replace his college coach, Everett Dean who had left to become the head coach at Stanford (and would go on to win an NCAA title in 1942).

McCracken’s impact was immediate.

His first team finished 17-3 overall and second in the Big Ten conference (Indiana finished second in the Big Ten each season from 1939 to 1943). The following season of 1939-40, McCracken’s “Hurryin’ Hoosiers” captured their first ever NCAA title.

Mac then served in WWII from 1943-1946 before returning as Indiana’s coach for the 1946-47 season.

Meanwhile, halfway across the country to the west …

While Indiana was enjoying consistent success on the hardwood, UCLA’s basketball program was struggling to stay competitive in the Pacific-8 Conference.

Following inconsistent play for several years under head coach Wilbur Johns, the Bruin athletic brass came calling upon McCracken to gauge his interest in coaching on the west coast. It was reported that McCracken was offered a salary increase as well as other incentives.

Despite the enticing opportunity, and following a meeting with Indiana President Herman B. Wells, McCracken decided to stay put in Bloomington.

After turning down the job, it was reported that McCracken recommended his good friend for the position: then-Indiana State head basketball coach John Wooden. UCLA stuck with Wilbur Johns for the 1947-48 season before officially hiring Wooden to a three-year contract in April of 1948. 

Wooden, as we all know, would go on to win ten NCAA titles during his 27-year career in Westwood en route to becoming the most successful college basketball coach in history.

What might have happened if McCracken had taken the UCLA job?

It’s easy to think that Indiana might not have won its second national championship under McCracken, which came in 1953.

But on the flip side … what if Wooden had been offered the vacant Indiana job? It would have been a clear step up from Indiana State, but would the Purdue grad have taken the head position at his alma mater’s rival?

And if he had, would Wooden have been able to create the same level of success in Bloomington that he created in UCLA? Would Wooden’s longevity have meant missing out on hiring the young coach from Army who delivered three more national titles to Bloomington?

As you’ll read later, would McCracken moving on and a different coach being in place have led to different results in the recruitments of Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertston?

We’ll never know. But, as with Bird’s hypothetical IU tenure, it’s fun to think about.

3. What if … Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, and Clyde Lovellette had donned the Cream and Crimson?

Clyde Lovellette was the prototypical basketball-loving Indiana boy. 

Growing up in Terre Haute, he attended Garfield High School where his dominant play down low led his team to the 1947 Indiana High School Basketball Championship. Garfield lost to Shelbyville High School, which was led by future Indiana star and IU’s first African-American basketball player, Bill Garrett.

Most in the state believed that Lovellette would go to Indiana, as coach Branch McCracken had great success in luring the state’s best to Bloomington. However, Kansas, coached by Phog Allen, was able to convince Lovellette that he was the key to the success of the program (and that he had a future on an Olympic basketball team), which helped Allen lure Lovellette 447 miles away from his home to Lawrence, KS.

Allen became a bitter rival and enemy to Branch McCracken following the recruiting battle, as McCracken spoke about Lovellette being “stolen” from right under him. Lovellette would go on to have an outstanding basketball career that included an NCAA title with Kansas in 1952, Olympic gold medal, and an NBA title (the first basketball player to hold that honor).

Following Indiana’s NCAA title in 1953, the program was on top of the collegiate world.  McCracken had proven that despite losing out on noteworthy in-state players like Lovellette, top talent continued to funnel to Bloomington.

Around this time, the entire country became aware of a major talent out of Philadelphia by the name of Wilt Chamberlain. At 7’1, and remarkably agile and athletic, Chamberlain instantly became the most sought-after high school prep star in the country. To some, he was the best prep prospect they’d ever seen.

Hundreds of college basketball offers poured in, and Chamberlain narrowed his list to four schools: Dayton, Kansas, Indiana, and Michigan. According to the article Can Basketball Survive Chamberlain?by Aram Goudsouzian, history professor at the University of Memphis, Chamberlain dismissed Michigan from the list due to it being a football school, and removed Dayton from the list after he was restricted to eating in his hotel room and kept away from restaurants deemed segregated in the city. 

This left Indiana and Kansas.

Despite the fact that Indiana had been the school to break the “gentlemen’s agreement” in the Big Ten Conference that had denied African-Americans the ability to play basketball, alleged rumors that McCracken was racially prejudiced were ingrained in Wilt’s mind from others. Similar rumors persisted about Phog Allen too.

In interviews with the press, McCracken maintained confidence in the fact that Chamberlain, who had made three visits to the Indiana campus, would become a Hoosier.

On May 13, 1955, news broke that Chamberlain had chosen to play basketball for Kansas. Allegations came about from newspapers alleging that Chamberlain was paid by Kansas, an allegation that Chamberlain would later confirm. 

Goudsouzian’s aforementioned article also stated that McCracken claimed he had been approached during Chamberlain’s recruitment by an agent asking for $5,200 plus room and board for Indiana to secure Wilt’s commitment. In the end, assuming McCracken’s declaration was true, he refused to comply.

In speaking to reporters a few weeks following Chamberlain’s announcement, McCracken joked, “We couldn’t afford that boy, he was just too rich for our blood.” 

Chamberlain, of course, would go on to one of the greatest basketball careers in history. It would have been great to have Chamberlain in the Cream and Crimson, but in hindsight Indiana fans may rejoice that McCracken refused to resort to the seedy underbelly of “pay for play”.

When Oscar Robertson became the next great prep star in the state, naturally Indiana University was considered a serious destination for his collegiate career. Robertson had led his Crispus Attucks High School squad to back-to-back IHSAA state championships in 1955 and 1956, going a combined 62-1.

Robertson was very familiar with Bloomington and the IU campus, often visiting older friends who attended IU. In many ways, Robertson felt that Indiana was the perfect fit. When he visited the campus with his high school coach Ray Crowe, he really had no doubts that he wanted to become a Hoosier.

However, Robertson later stated that his initial interaction with McCracken changed his mindset completely.

According to his autobiography The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game, Robertson felt that if Indiana had shown serious interest in him as a player, he would have be ready to sign on the dotted line right then and there. When Robertson and Crowe sat down with McCracken in the spring of 1956, the first word’s out of the Hoosier coach were, “I hope you are not the kind of kid who wants money to go to school.” 

Robertson stated that he was deeply offended by Mac’s statement. He said to Crowe, “Coach, I’ve got to leave.”

Perhaps McCracken’s mindset at the time was to be cautious, considering how the recruitment of Chamberlain had concluded only a year earlier. Regardless, the “Big O” never considered Indiana for college after the meeting with McCracken. 

Robertson ended up committing to Cincinnati, where he would go on to average an eye popping 33.8 ppg career average, be named College Basketball Player of the year three times, and graduate as the university’s all-time leading scorer (a record still today) before moving on to a stellar professional career.

Can you imagine how many banners might be hanging in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall today had Lovelette, Chamberlain, or Robertson made their way to Bloomington?

4. What if … Knute Rockne had ended up on the Indiana sidelines?

Clarence Childs had been a track and field star at Yale and was named to the 1912 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team that would compete in Stockholm, Sweden. Childs took home the bronze medal in the hammer throw, which had been his specialty at Yale.

Following his Olympic success and the conclusion of his amateur career, Childs was named head football coach (he lettered in the sport at Yale as well) at The College of Wooster in the spring of 1913. Following a 2-3-2 record in 1913, Childs was approached about the vacant Indiana football coaching job after the resignation of Jimmy Sheldon, who had been IU’s football coach since 1905.

After officially accepting the Indiana job in the summer of 1914, Childs began to seek out a supporting cast. We are not aware who may have suggested the name to Childs to fill the assistant coach position, but a recommendation was made of a 22-year old recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame named Knute Larsen Rockne. 

Rockne had excelled as a football player for the Fighting Irish from 1910-1913, and he had graduated with a degree in chemistry from Notre Dame in the spring of 1914.

In a letter penned to IU President William Lowe Bryan, Childs dismissed the idea of Rockne as an assistant. He stated that his goal was “to interest the Alumni as far as possible this coming season, and I am sure that the methods of Notre Dame are quite different than those of Indiana or Yale.”

Regardless of what Childs’ motivation may have been, Rockne was not considered for the position and remained in South Bend. Following graduation, Rockne passed on medical school and pursued a professional football career while also assisting the Notre Dame team under head coach Jesse Harper.

When Harper announced his retirement as head coach following the conclusion of the 1917 season, Rockne was named his successor. Rockne’s head coaching career from 1918-1930 included three national championships and a 105-12-5 total record (the second highest winning percentage all time in NCAA football history). 

His College Football Hall of Fame biography states that Rockne is “without question, American football’s most renowned coach.”

And he could have been on the Indiana sidelines.

What if …

Collector’s note: I have always had a great passion for collecting team-signed IU balls. If they connect to a key season, such as a Big Ten and/or NCAA title, the relic is even that more significant. 

When I was able to acquire this 1970-71 ball, I felt very certain that it was probably one of a kind, especially since the ball is an official game used “INDIANA” ball. The key signature on the ball is obviously George McGinnis, whose lone season at IU stands out as one of the best of all time. 

Team-signed IU basketballs, especially those that pre-date the 1980s, are becoming harder and harder to find.

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The Lou Watson era of Indiana basketball is an oft-overlooked six seasons of IU history. 

Considering his predecessor (Branch McCracken) and his successor (Bob Knight) are responsible for Indiana’s five national titles, it’s easy to look upon Watson’s helm as head coach and dismiss it. [Read more…] about 1970-71 Indiana Game-Used Basketball Signed By Team