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Rewatch Prepper: Indiana vs Kent State on March 23, 2002

March 28, 2020 By Chris Williams Leave a Comment

This is the fourth in our series of posts that “preview” notable NCAA Tournament games in Indiana’s storied history. These are companion posts for our live rewatch series that we are doing in place of the cancelled 2020 NCAA Tournament.

Today, we will preview the Elite 8 matchup of the 2002 NCAA Tournament — the game after Indiana’s epic comeback against Duke: Indiana, the #5 seed in the South Region, against Kent State, the #10 seed in the South Region.

The live rewatch and postgame show for the IU-Kent State game takes place on Sunday, March 29th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. (Click here to access the YouTube replay of the game.)

Photo: Indiana University Archives

Breaking down the matchup:

Indiana (23-11) vs. Kent State (30-5) 

Coaches:

  • Indiana- Mike Davis (2nd season)
  • Oklahoma- Stan Heath (1st season)

Last matchup: 

Indiana lost to Kent State during the opening round of the previous year’s tournament in 2001, 77-73.

Indiana probable starters:

  • G. Dane Fife (Sr.)
  • G. Tom Coverdale (Jr.)
  • G. Kyle Hornsby (Jr.)
  • F. Jared Jeffries (Soph.)
  • F. Jarrad Odle (Sr.)

Kent State probable starters:

  • G. Andrew Mitchell (Sr.)
  • G. Demetric Shaw (Sr.)
  • F. Trevor Huffman (Sr.)
  • F. Eric Thomas (Sr.)
  • F. Antonio Gates (Jr.)

Indiana game notes:

The Hoosiers finished tied for first in Big Ten play, clinching their first conference championship since 1993. Entering today’s game, Indiana is riding a wave of emotion after taking down #1 seed Duke Blue Devils on Thursday night, 74-73.

In their first two round matchups, IU defeated Utah (75-56) and UNC-Wilmington (76-67). Should Indiana defeat Kent State, the Hoosiers would reach their first NCAA Final Four in 10 years.

Kent State game notes:

Stan Heath’s first season at Kent State has been nothing but memorable as their 30-win season is the highest mark in school history. The Golden Flashes took care of business in the Mid-American Conference going 17-1 overall.

NCAA Tournament victories over Oklahoma State (69-61), Alabama (71-58), and Pittsburgh (78-73) have led Kent State to their first ever Elite Eight appearance.

What to expect — Indiana:

Indiana is led by Big Ten Player of the Year Jared Jeffries, and his inside-outside scoring threat will cause matchup problems for the undersized Golden Flashes, who must also watch for kickouts to Kyle Hornsby and Tom Coverdale, both of which can get hot from downtown.

The Hoosiers committed 23 turnovers against Duke. A repeat of this could drastically hinder Indiana’s chances to reach Atlanta.

Defensively, Indiana must deny Trevor Huffman’s looks early, while also not forgetting about interior scorer Antonio Gates who scored 22 points in Kent State’s win Thursday over Pitt.

What to expect — Kent State:

The Golden Flashes are not the deepest team in the field, so keeping their starters out of foul trouble will be key. 

Antonio Gates may be undersized, but has the ability to create his own shots around the rim making him a threat. Trevor Huffman and Andrew Mitchell are both capable shooters, but have lacked consistency at times during the season.

Indiana’s interior size poses challenges to Kent State, but this is a hurdle that Stan Heath has been able to work around all season.

Result

If you want to know the result of the game and see the box score, click here.

Filed Under: Featured, Recent Content, Uncategorized

Hoosier Spotlight: Landon Turner

May 17, 2019 By Chris Williams Leave a Comment

Landon Turner’s 1980-81 season game used jersey.

The triumphant culmination of the 1980-81 season, which resulted in Indiana’s fourth overall NCAA basketball championship, was one that at many points during the season seemed unattainable.

The Hoosiers got off to a sluggish 7-5 record prior to Big Ten play, including losing to the likes of Clemson and Texas Pan-American. Entering Big Ten play, even with talented players like Isiah Thomas, Ray Tolbert, Randy Wittman, and Jim Thomas, the Hoosiers lacked consistency.

One individual who had seen more time on the bench than action on the floor for much of the season was junior forward Landon Turner. As it turned out, Turner was actually the key to Indiana’s success all along.

Turner’s IU Journey Begins

Landon Turner arrived in Bloomington in the fall of 1978 out of Indianapolis’ Arsenal Tech High School as part of a four-player recruiting class that included three other Indiana natives: Ted Kitchel, Randy Wittman, and Steve Reish.

Turner, like many players of that era, had reservations initially about playing for coach Bob Knight. Decorated as a McDonald’s All-American, Turner’s skill and athleticism on the basketball floor were expected to transition well under the tutelage of Knight.

However, Turner would quickly find himself in coach Bob Knight’s doghouse as one of five players who were discovered to have allegedly used marijuana during a pre-conference tournament in Alaska. In the end, with three team members being dismissed (Tommy Baker, Don Cox, and Jim Roberson), Turner would remain on the squad and be placed on probation. 

Despite that early obstacle during his freshman season, and playing largely in a supportive role, Turner averaged 5.5 ppg along with 3.4 rpg as a member of the 1979 NIT title team that went 22-12 overall.

Sophomore Season

The 1979-80 season was one of the “what could have been” seasons in the history of the program. The Hoosiers entered the season with a preseason #1 rank and were a favorite to a win the NCAA title. With heralded newcomer Isiah Thomas added into the mix with returnees Mike Woodson, Randy Wittman, Ray Tolbert, and Landon Turner, the Hoosiers were anticipating hanging banner number four in Assembly Hall.

Turner’s production was expected to increase during his sophomore campaign, especially after the loss of Wittman (foot injury during the Kentucky game) and Woodson (who would need back surgery after struggling to play during through Toledo game).

With Indiana down two key players, the outlook against their next opponent on December 22, North Carolina, was bleak. The Hoosiers gave everything they had, but fell 61-57. Turner, coming off the bench, had his best performance of the season with 13 points and six rebounds.

Landon Turner receives instruction from head coach Bob Knight during the North Carolina game, December 22, 1979. Photo: Indiana University Archives.

Despite having the ability to make impacts in games throughout the 1979-80 season, Knight was becoming frustrated with Turner’s lackadaisical approach on the court — and even more so, in the classroom. Turner himself, in a 20/20 interview that aired in the early 1990s, admitted that his attitude toward studying and classes was not where it should have been during most of his IU career.

A fan following the team during Turner’s sophomore season may have seen the potential there for stellar play, such as when Turner held Purdue big man Joe Barry Carroll to only 11 points in IU’s 69-58 win on January 26, 1980. That same fan, however, would see how prone to foul trouble Turner could be throughout Big Ten play.

All in all, in one of the most memorable seasons in IU history — when the Hoosiers overcame major injury setbacks en route to a Big Ten title — Turner’s overall production continued to increase (7.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg). Still, Knight felt that Turner had yet to reach the potential that he had hoped for his 6’10” big man.

A 1979-80 team signed basketball.

Turner Finally Breaks Out

As Hoosier fans, most of us know the story of how the 1980-81 season began. A 7-5 record through 12 games was, well, both surprising and concerning. And through Indiana’s ups and downs, there remained the inconsistency of now-junior Landon Turner.

Jim Crews, an Indiana assistant coach at the time, described Turner in stating, “He could be the most enjoyable player to coach and then the most frustrating.” Turner scored 15 points in a loss to Kentucky, 23 in a loss to Notre Dame, and 23 in a win over Baylor. Despite his ability to show his gifted talent on the floor, by the time Big Ten played rolled around, Turner once again seemed lost and in Knight’s doghouse.

Teammate Ray Tolbert would later say that Turner’s frustration at times with Knight had led him to the point of considering quitting the team. In the early part of conference play, Knight would have most likely been in agreement with this, and as a result, essentially gave Turner an ultimatum that he needed to take ownership of his play. Turner must have received the message loud and clear, as he played a pivotal role in Indiana’s dominant play in their last five Big Ten games — winning by an average of 13 points en route to defending as Big Ten champions.

Knight specifically commented on Turner’s change following their win over Ohio State: “Turner has made great strides in that it upsets him to make mistakes. When it upsets a player to make mistakes, he’s come a long way toward becoming a better player.”

Indiana’s 21-9 overall record awarded them a 3-seed in the Mideast Regional. If the Hoosiers could get by their first round opponent, Maryland, they would be awarded with playing essentially a home game, as IU’s Assembly Hall was a regional host site.

The Terrapins proved to be no match for Indiana and the now nearly unstoppable Landon Turner as IU cruised to a 99-64 win with Turner scoring 20 points. Indiana would once again dominate its next two opponents on their home court with victories over Alabama-Birmingham and St. Joseph’s (PA), the latter of which had upset Boston College to reach Indiana in the regional final. Landon Turner would lead all IU scorers with 14 in the St. Joe’s victory, which would propel IU to the Final Four in Philadelphia, an accomplishment considered improbable with the start of the season.

Landon Turner guards the inbounder during the NCAA regional game against St. Joseph’s, March 22, 1981. Photo: Indiana University Archives

With Turner in sync, Indiana continued to look unstoppable. In their semi-final matchup against LSU, the Hoosiers rolled to a 67-49 win behind Turner’s 20 points, earning MVP honors in the semi-final game. A Monday night showdown with North Carolina, who defeated the Hoosiers earlier in the season in Bloomington, stood in the way for Indiana to clinch its fourth overall NCAA title.

Sophomore Isiah Thomas dominated the contest, leading the Hoosiers with 23 points en route to a 63-50 win. Turner added 12 points and 6 rebounds. In reflecting on the victory, coach Bob Knight stated, “I’ve never seen a group of kids stay with a goal or work harder toward an end they had set for themselves. Never losing sight of the fact that they had to improve.” 

One could argue that the message emphasized the massive turnaround of Landon Turner, and how he found himself at the right time during the season to help dictate the success the Hoosiers would find. Isiah Thomas, reflecting on that faithful season years later, stated that without Turner’s play, the Hoosiers never would have won their title in ’81.

At the conclusion of the 1980-81 season, major changes were ahead with Indiana’s roster. Not only would four seniors be departing (Ray Tolbert, Steve Risley, Phil Isenbarger, and Glen Grunwald), but star sophomore guard Isiah Thomas would be leaving Indiana after two seasons for the NBA.

When Bob Knight sat down with Turner at season’s end to begin preparations for the 1981-82 season, one could assume that his message for his rising senior was clear: I need you to be the leader of this team. In addition to evaluating his upcoming senior year, many around the country began assessing Turner’s potential as a star at the professional level. 

The sky was the limit for Turner.

Tragedy and Perseverance

Unfortunately, Turner’s future as a basketball player, and his life altogether, would take a drastic turn on July 26, 1981. 

While en route to King’s Island with a group of friends, Turner lost control of his vehicle and crashed, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. It was a devastating, cruel blow to a young man’s promising future at Indiana and beyond. 

When Bob Knight called Turner’s parents to discuss his condition following accident, Knight was at a loss of words, a rare occurrence for The General. 

Support from all over the state would pour in following Turner’s car accident that would leave him paralyzed. Over $500,000 would be raised.

Even if Knight was speechless concerning his 6’10” center’s condition, he knew that his actions would speak volumes in assisting Turner however possible. Fundraisers and events all over the state of Indiana occurred in the fall of 1981 and beyond that would raise over $500,000 for assisting Turner moving forward. 

In a true show of class, knowing Turner’s basketball career was over, the Boston Celtics selected Turner in the 10th round of the 1981 NBA Draft. 

Despite not being able to be in the floor directly, Turner would never be a stranger to the IU program.  To this day, he’s a regular in the IU locker room, a fixture on the sidelines on for IU games, and a true symbol of perseverance.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

6-Banner Sunday: Morgan Makes History and Remembering Hutch

December 23, 2018 By Seth Tow Leave a Comment

Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, a joint production between The Assembly Call and Inside the Hall where we highlight the six most essential IU basketball stories of the past week.

Indiana is certainly feeling jolly these days. The Hoosiers are riding a six-game winning streak and they’ve gained increasing national attention in recent weeks, climbing to No. 22 in the AP Poll (although they’re still unranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll).

IU will have a solid holiday break this week. The players went home following last night’s game against Jacksonville and will not return to Bloomington until Thursday, Dec. 27. IU will then have a week to prepare for the start of Big Ten play and its first matchup against Illinois.

For the penultimate time in 2018, here’s what’s up in the world of IU basketball.

In this week’s edition:

  1. Indiana takes down Central Arkansas
  2. Morgan makes history in IU’s win over Jacksonville
  3. Remembering Terry Hutchens
  4. POTB and AC Radio
  5. Young fan pens letter to Phinisee
  6. Big Ten Roundup

[Read more…] about 6-Banner Sunday: Morgan Makes History and Remembering Hutch

Filed Under: 6-Banner Sunday, Uncategorized

Hoosier Time Capsule: January 19, 1993

April 22, 2018 By Chris Williams Leave a Comment

This is a new IU basketball series that will focus on a specific date in Hoosier hardwood history. In addition to game notes, important facts, and highlighted pieces of IU memorabilia, there will also be a focus on pop culture facts (music, movies, TV), other sporting highlights, as well as U.S. and world events. Inspiration for this series comes from the “Random Box Score” series from soxmachine.com.

The Game:

Indiana (15-2 overall, 4-0 in Big Ten play) at Purdue (11-2 overall, 2-2 in Big Ten play), January 19, 1993. Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana. Nationally televised on ESPN.

Pop Culture and Major Events

If you were tuned in to the FM dial, you would be serenaded by Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”, which stood atop the Billboard music chart for its eighth straight week. Movie-goers could take in the recently released Bill Murray comedy “Groundhog Day”, the crime thriller “Falling Down”, starring Michael Douglas, Disney’s latest animated film “Aladdin”, or, one of the year’s best in “A Few Good Men”, starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore.

Gamers would continue to enjoy the late 1992 release of Mega Man 5.

For a sampling of TV commericials from January of 1993 click here.

Americans would be anticipating the January 20th inauguration of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton. On February 6th, tennis great Arthur Ashe would succumb to the AIDS virus at the age of 49.

Two days prior to the Indiana-Purdue game, the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills would emerge as NFC and AFC Champions to face off in Super Bowl XXVII on January 31st.

Outlook

The #2-ranked Indiana Hoosiers entered the game as the favorite, having started conference play with a 4-0 record, including the last two Big Ten wins on the road. Indiana was looking for a third straight road victory.

The Hoosiers were coming off a Final Four appearance the season prior, and were expected to contend for a Big Ten title.  Indiana stood 12-2 overall, with its only two losses against Kansas and Kentucky.

Purdue had cruised through their non-conference season, but struggled out of the gate in Big Ten play, losing two straight to Michigan and Minnesota. Purdue’s roster was talented but young, with Big Ten scoring leader Glenn Robinson, but only one senior (Matt Painter).

Indiana head coach Bob Knight dismissed the media prediction that this game would be a battle of Purdue’s Glenn Robinson vs Indiana’s Alan Henderson. The two Hoosier state prep stars had battled for Indiana’s Mr. Basketball honor as high school seniors (won by Robinson), and Robinson’s Gary Roosevelt squad had defeated Henderson’s Brebeuf Jesuit team for the state championship. Knight made it candidly clear that this game would belong to his senior hailing from Evansville: “This will be Calbert’s game. They don’t have anybody who can handle him. Nobody does.”

The Starters for Indiana:

Damon Bailey (Jr.), Greg Graham (Sr.), Calbert Cheaney (Sr.), Alan Henderson (So.), Matt Nover (Sr.)

The Starters for Purdue:

Glenn Robinson (So.), Cuonzo Martin (So.), Matt Painter (Sr.), Matt Waddell (So.), Ian Stanback (Jr.)

The Game

Indiana got off to an early hot start, and it was clear from the beginning that Purdue would have to lean on Glenn Robinson to keep Purdue in the ball game. Even with Robinson’ stellar play, Purdue faced an early 15-point deficit thanks to high percentage shooting from Calbert Cheaney. Cheaney had 19 points in the first half, as Indiana led 36-23 at the break. Not much else was falling for IU in the first 20 minutes, but a great defensive presence kept the Boilermakers cold from the field.

Indiana’s Damon Bailey defends Purdue’s Glenn Robinson during IU’s 74-65 victory at Purdue.

Any Indiana-Purdue contest is a fight to the end, and this would be no different. With 11 minutes remaining, Purdue’s deficit was still 12 points. But the Boilers had clawed their way to within four points with just over six minutes remaining.

With Indiana potentially on the ropes, the bench stepped up. Brian Evans, the redshirt freshman out of Terre Haute South High School, sank a clutch three-pointer that in many ways was the final dagger for Purdue in the ball game. “That was frustrating, Purdue coach Gene Keady said of Evans, “because if you’re not a village idiot, you know after the Illinois game he can shoot it … and you don’t leave him.” 

Damon Bailey game used road shorts from the 1992-93 season.

Purdue once again would close within five at 62-57, but Indiana was able to respond time and time again. Even a late heroic three-point play by Purdue’s Matt Waddell couldn’t quite shake the Hoosiers.

The Indiana lead extended to nine with two minutes remaining, and all Purdue could do the rest of the way was foul and hope for misses at the free throw line. Indiana shooters would respond by hitting their final 10 free throws to seal it.

The Hoosiers would go on to win 74-65 to move to 5-0 in conference play.

Senior Calbert Cheaney’s stat line was the essential key for Indiana: 33 points, 11 of 15 from the field; 2-for-3 on threes; 9-for-10 on free throws; 10 rebounds; 4 assists. Senior Matt Nover added 10 points, Brian Evans came off the bench to supply 9, while Greg Graham would add 8 points, all in the first half.

A ticket from the 1993 Indiana vs Purdue contest.

Coaches’ Reaction

Purdue coach Gene Keady: In reference to Indiana winning three-straight on the road: “I don’t think I’ve seen that since I’ve been in this league,” Keady said. “To go to Michigan and win, and Illinois and here — that’s a great start. They’ve got a leg up on everybody now.”

Indiana coach Bob Knight gave a very brief press conference, not going into great detail about his post-game thoughts, nor did he allow any of his players access to media questions since he wished to get back to Bloomington ASAP with many of his players having classes early the next morning.

Season Conclusion

Perhaps the most heralded Hoosier squad since the 1976 squad, Indiana dominated Big Ten play before losing in Columbus to Ohio State on February 23rd. IU would finish the regular season 28-3 overall, 17-1 in conference play.

Despite entering the NCAA Tournament as the #1 seed in the Midwest region, one critical piece to the Indiana puzzle was missing. Sophomore Alan Henderson would suffer a torn ACL injury on February 19th, only two days prior to the rematch against Purdue in Bloomington. Without Henderson in the middle, Indiana’s lack of depth in the front court would be even more evident. The Hoosiers would eventually fall to Kansas in the regional final, 83-77.

The remainder of the Big Ten season for Purdue would be one of inconsistency. Despite Glenn Robinson leading the league in scoring at 24.1 ppg, only one other Boilermaker, Cuonzo Martin, averaged scoring in double figures for the season. Purdue would finish Big Ten play at 9-9, 18-0 overall for the regular season. Purdue was awarded the #9 seed in the East region, falling to Rhode Island, 74-68.

Resources: sports-reference.com, Indy Star IU Basketball database, Bloomington Herald Times.

Filed Under: Recent Content, Uncategorized

Roundup: Hoosiers Earn WNIT Banner, RoJo Hits Game-Winner

March 31, 2018 By Josh Margolis Leave a Comment

Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, where we highlight the six most essential IU basketball stories of the past week.
IU women’s basketball clinched their first WNIT title on Saturday in front of a raucous and record-setting crowd. They’re also being rewarded with the first banner in 6-Banner Sunday.
In this week’s edition:

  1. IU women win WNIT title
  2. Remembering Daryl Thomas
  3. Robert Johnson and Big Ten 3×3 squad advance
  4. Romeo Langford scores 19 in McDonald’s game
  5. Hoosier Network interviews commits Hunter, Forrester
  6. Best of the rest

[Read more…] about Roundup: Hoosiers Earn WNIT Banner, RoJo Hits Game-Winner

Filed Under: 6-Banner Sunday, Recent Content, Uncategorized

Roundup: RoJo's College Hoops Career Will Have One Last Hurrah

March 24, 2018 By Josh Margolis Leave a Comment

Welcome to another edition of 6-Banner Sunday, where we highlight the six most essential IU basketball stories of the past week.
Or, when it’s a slow news week in the offseason, we highlight the six most essential IU sports stories of the week.
The men’s basketball season is now weeks in the past, but one Hoosier will be playing in San Antonio the week of the Final Four. More details on that, plus IU Swim & Dive’s incredible run at the NCAA Championships, in this week’s 6-Banner Sunday.
In this week’s edition:

  1. IU Swim & Dive finishes 3rd at NCAA Championships
  2. Robert Johnson to compete in 3×3 challenge
  3. Indiana State Tournament finals
  4. Freddie McSwain meets the Hoosier Network
  5. IU women advance to WNIT quarterfinals
  6. Little 500 lineup + best of the rest

[Read more…] about Roundup: RoJo's College Hoops Career Will Have One Last Hurrah

Filed Under: 6-Banner Sunday, Recent Content, Uncategorized

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