Indiana Hoosiers History

Timeline

Feb. 8, 1901
Indiana University competes in its first-ever basketball game. The Hoosiers travel to Irvington and lose to Butler, 20-17.

March 8, 1901
Indiana won its first-ever basketball game in the school’s fourth outing of the season. IU defeated visiting Wabash, 26-17.

Winter 1901
Over 50 people show up for open tryouts to become a member of IU’s second-ever basketball team. The Hoosiers post a .500 record in only their second season of competition.

March 12, 1904
A crowd of 550 watch as Purdue defeats IU, 22-21, to claim the State Championship in West Lafayette.

Feb. 10, 1906
A crowd of over 1,000 watch as host Purdue nips IU, 27-25.

Feb. 27, 1906
New Albany YMCA 18, IU 17. From the Indiana Daily Student: "...Everybody unites in agreeing that the work of the official who reigned with a tyrannic hand was the vilest and most unfair ever perpetrated. On three different occasions fouls were called on Woody just as he had thrown the ball in the basket for a field goal, and no possible motive for the umpires verdicts could be found except his desire to give the visitors the short end of it. Despite the handicap, the Crimson athletes showed wonderful tenacity and were in the van at many stages."

Spring, 1921
Everett Dean becomes Indiana’s first basketball All-American and is a First Team All-Western Conference pick.

Nov.,21, 1922
Head coach George Levis announces he will resign his position effective Dec. 1 to accept a position at Showers’ Furniture Factory.

Dec. 6, 1922
Les Mann, who served as coach of the freshman team, is named head basketball coach and, upon the announcement, he "formally declared a secret practice for this afternoon."

Jan. 13, 1923
Indiana defeats Purdue 31-26 to snap an eight-game losing streak to the Boilers, coached by Ward "Piggy" Lambert. The team was greeted by an over-flowing crowd at the train station when it arrived in Bloomington at 3:45 a.m.

Oct. 15, 1924
Everett Dean, a 1921 IU graduate, returns to Bloomington as head coach of the Indiana basketball team.

Dec. 18, 1924
Indiana defeats Kentucky in Lexington, 20-18. It marked the first time the two schools played to start a long-time rivalry
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Feb. 29, 1936
Junior utility man Bob Entire sinks his 129th consecutive free throw en route to making 258 of 262.

March 9, 1926
Indiana defeats Wisconsin, 35-20, to earn a share of the Western Conference Championship. It was the Hoosiers’ first-ever conference championship in basketball, which Everett Dean won in only his second season as coach.

March 2, 1936
Before a crowd of over 7,000, Indiana defeats Ohio State in its last game of the season to clinch a share of the Western Conference Championship.

Spring, 1938
Everett Dean resigns to become head coach at Stanford University and Ernie Andres is named All-American.

Summer, 1938
Branch McCracken, a 1930 IU graduate, returns to Bloomington and is named men’s basketball coach. In his inaugural season, the Hoosiers post a 17-3 record, the second-most wins ever in a single season.

March 6, 1940
Although Indiana finishes second to Purdue in the Western Conference standings, a committee made up of Tony Hinkle (Butler), Bill Chandler (Marquette), George Keogan (Notre Dame) and K. L. Wilson (Northwestern) extend an invitation to IU to be the Midwestern representative in the NCAA Tournament.

March 30, 1940
Indiana defeats Kansas, 60-42, for the Hoosiers’ first-ever NCAA Championship. IU finishes the season 20-3.

Spring, 1943
Lt. Branch McCracken takes a leave of absence to serve in World War II and is replaced by Harry C. Good, who brings a 190-52 record from Indiana Central College where he coached for the past 15 years. Good is coach for three years and has seasons of 7-15, 10-11 and 18-3 before McCracken returns for the 1947 season.

Dec. 2, 1948
An all-time record crowd of 7,631 are on hand for the return of "Big Mac," Branch McCracken, and watch the "Merry Macs" defeat Wabash, 69-46.

Fall, 1948
Indiana's Bill Garrett makes the final cut and is the first black athlete to play a varsity sport in the Western Conference.

Jan. 20, 1953
Indiana connects on a Big Ten record 42 of 54 free throws en route to defeating Purdue, 88-75.

Feb. 2, 1953
The "Hurryin’ Hoosiers" set yet another scoring record, this time cracking the century mark for the first time in history in a 105-70 win over Butler.

Feb. 28, 1953
Indiana defeats host Illinois, 91-79, to win its first undisputed Big Ten Championship.

March 2, 1953
For the first time ever, Indiana becomes the unanimous No. 1 team in the country when the Hoosiers top the Associated Press, United Press and International News Service polls. Ed Krause, athletic director at Notre Dame, sends a telegram to McCracken: "Congratulations on being the Number One team in the nation. We all voted for you. However, remember, Notre Dame is still Number One in Indiana."

March 14, 1953
Don Schlundt scores 41 points as IU defeats Notre Dame in Chicago Stadium to earn a trip to the Final Four. The 41 points sets single-game record for Schlundt, IU, the Big Ten and Chicago Stadium.

March 19, 1953
A free throw by Bob Leonard with 27 seconds to go gives Indiana a 69-68 win over Kansas and its second NCAA Championship in its second-ever trip to the post-season tournament.

Spring, 1953
Don Schlundt is the overwhelming choice to receive the Silver Basketball Award as the most valuable player in the Big Ten and is named All-American. Branch McCracken is consensus Coach of the Year.

March 6, 1954
Indiana defeats Illinois to earn a second consecutive Big Ten Championship.

March 5, 1955
In his final game as a Hoosier, Don Schlundt sets Big Ten marks by scoring 47 points and connecting on 25-30 free throws in an 84-66 win over Ohio State.

Spring, 1957
Archie Dees runs away in balloting for the Big Ten Most Valuable Player as he has more than three times the number of points the second-place athlete received. He is also selected as an All-American.

March 8, 1958
Indiana wins at Michigan State, 75-72, to repeat as Big Ten Champions.

Spring, 1958
Archie Dees becomes the first player in history to be named Big Ten MVP twice and is selected as an All-American.

February 2, 1959
The Hoosiers set the school record for most points in a game as they defeat Ohio State on the road 122-92.

Feb. 29, 1960
In the final game played in the old IU Fieldhouse, Walt Bellamy scores 24 points as Indiana hands Ohio State its lone defeat in Big Ten play with a 99-83 win.

Summer, 1960
Branch McCracken is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game as a player, he becomes one of only eight players to be included in the Hall at the time. Walt Bellamy is selected to play on the U.S. Olympic team and won a Gold Medal in Rome.

Dec. 3, 1960
The Hoosiers open the new IU Fieldhouse in front of 9,236 fans with an 80-53 victory over Indiana State.

March 11, 1961
Walt Bellamy scores 28 points and grabs a Big Ten record 33 rebounds in an 82-67 victory over Michigan. The Hoosiers also set a Big Ten record by grabbing 95 boards as a team. Both rebounding marks are still conference records.

Jan. 2, 1962
IU ties its own school and Big Ten record when the Hoosiers score 122 points in a 122-95 victory over Notre Dame at Fort Wayne. The point total is still an Indiana record.

Jan. 27, 1962
With two seconds remaining in overtime, Jimmy Rayl sinks a 20-foot shot to give host IU a 105-104 victory over Minnesota. Rayl set two school and conference marks in the game: most points in a single game with 56 and most field goals with 20.

Feb. 23, 1963
Jimmy Rayl ties his own Big Ten record when he scores 56 points in a 113-94 home victory over Michigan State. "The Splendid Splinter" still holds the school record.

March 8, 1965
Indiana defeats Wisconsin, 92-73, in Branch McCracken’s last game as coach of the Hoosiers. McCracken retires with a 364-174 record in 24 years at IU and a 457-215 career mark spanning 32 seasons. His teams won two NCAA Championships, three Big Ten titles and a share of a fourth and placed either first or second in 12 of his 24 seasons. McCracken was replaced by long-time assistant Lou Watson.

Summer, 1966
Former IU coach Everett Dean is inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

February 23, 1971
Steve Downing becomes the only player in Indiana history to register a triple-double as he has 28 points, 17 rebounds and 10 blocks in an 88-79 victory over Michigan.

March 27, 1971
Athletic Director Bill Orwig announces that the search committee has chosen Bob Knight to become the next basketball coach and the fifth in the last 46 years at Indiana University. Knight is the first basketball coach since Leslie Mann was hired in 1923 who did not play at Indiana.

Summer, 1971
W.R. Clifford Wells is inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

Dec. 1, 1971
The Hoosiers play their first-ever game in Assembly Hall, defeating Ball State, 84-77. Steve Downing grabs 26 rebounds, a mark which is still an arena record.

March 10, 1973
Indiana defeats Purdue, 77-72, to clinch the Big Ten Championship in only Knight’s second season as coach.

March 17, 1973
IU defeats Kentucky, 72-65, to advance to the Final Four, its first under Knight and third in school history.

Spring, 1973
Steve Downing becomes IU’s first Big Ten MVP since Archie Dees in 1958 and is selected as an All-American. Bob Knight is the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

March 11, 1974
Michigan defeats Indiana, 75-67, in a playoff game in Champaign, Ill., for the Big Ten Championship. The Wolverines are awarded the automatic bid and the Hoosiers accept an invitation to participate in the Collegiate Commissioners’ Association tournament.

March 18, 1974
The Hoosiers defeat USC, 85-60, to win the first-ever CCA Championship.

March 8, 1975
In front of 17,912, the largest crowd ever in Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers defeat Michigan State, 94-79, to win a third consecutive Big Ten Championship and finish the regular season with a perfect 29-0 record.

March 20, 1975
Indiana defeats Oregon State, 81-71, for its 34th consecutive victory dating back to March 15, 1974. The streak is still the longest of any Big Ten school.
Nov. 29, 1975
Indiana rips defending champion UCLA, 84-64, in the Tip-Off Classic at St. Louis, Mo. to begin a season in which the Hoosiers would finish with a perfect record and a National Championship.

March 6, 1976
The Hoosiers defeat Ohio State, 96-67, to clinch their fourth consecutive Big Ten Championship and their second consecutive with a perfect 18-0 record. Indiana set a Big Ten record by winning 37 consecutive Big Ten games, dating back to the 1974 season. The closest any team has come to that mark since has been 19.

March 29, 1976
Indiana defeats Michigan, 86-68, to win the NCAA Championship. The Hoosiers finish the season 32-0, the last team to go undefeated and win the National Crown.

Summer, 1976
Scott May and Quinn Buckner spearhead the U.S.A. men’s basketball team to an Olympic Gold Medal in Montreal.

Summer, 1979
Isiah Thomas, Ray Tolbert and Mike Woodson play for Bob Knight in the Pan Am Games and the team wins the Gold Medal.

March 2, 1980
Indiana holds off Ohio State to win, 76-73, in overtime and clinch the Big Ten Championship in the season finale.

Summer, 1980
Isiah Thomas is selected to the Olympic Team.

Jan. 10, 1981
Ted Kitchel makes all 18 of his free throw attempts in a 78-61 win over Illinois, setting a school and Big Ten record.

March 30, 1981
Isiah Thomas scores 23 points to lead the Hoosiers to a 63-50 victory over North Carolina and the NCAA Championship in front of 18,276 fans in the Philadelphia Spectrum. Thomas, who led the Hoosiers in scoring, also led the team with single-season records of 197 assists and 74 steals.

March 12, 1983
Indiana wins the final three games of the season, culminated by an 81-60 win over Ohio State, to win a third Big Ten Championship in four seasons.

Summer, 1984
Bob Knight and Steve Alford help the US capture a gold medal in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Uwe Blab is a member of the West German team.

March 7, 1985
Steve Alford connects on four of five free throws and finishes the conference season with a .935 (58-62) percentage from the charity stripe, which is still a Big Ten record.


March 7, 1987
The Hoosiers defeat Ohio State, 90-81, in the season’s final game to claim a share of the Big Ten Championship.

March 14, 1987
Keith Smart dishes out a school-record 15 assists in a 107-90 victory over Auburn.

March 30, 1987
Keith Smart hits a jumper from the left side with time running out to give IU a 74-73 win over Syracuse as the Hoosiers are crowned National Champions in front of 64,959 in the New Orleans Superdome.
Steve Alford sets an NCAA Championship record when he connects on seven 3-point field goals in the game. Alford graduates as IU’s career leader in three-point field goals made with 107.

Spring, 1987
Steve Alford is named Big Ten MVP and is a consensus All-American. Bob Knight is named Naismith Coach of the Year.
Indiana leads the nation in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting .508 from behind the arc, a mark that is still an NCAA record.

Spring, 1988
Jay Edwards is selected as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and sets an NCAA Record for best 3-point field goal percentage by a freshman with a .536 percentage from behind the arc.

Spring, 1989
Jay Edwards is selected as an All-American and Bob Knight is selected as National Coach of the Year.
Indiana leads the nation in three-point field goal percentage, shooting .473 from behind the arc. It is the second time in three years IU leads the nation in this category.

May, 1991
Bob Knight is inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

April 4, 1992
Indiana makes its seventh appearance in the Final Four as it takes on defending national champion Duke at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Nov. 27, 1992
Calbert Cheaney scores 36 points to lead Indiana to a 78-74 win over Seton Hall as the Hoosiers win the Pre-Season NIT in front of 14,338 in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Feb. 21, 1993
Greg Graham makes 26 of 28 free throws to set school and conference records for most free throws made in a game.

March 4, 1993
Calbert Cheaney sinks a baseline jumper to become IU’s and the Big Ten’s all-time career scoring leader. Cheaney scores 35 points in a 98-69 win over Northwestern and finished his career with 2,613 points.

March 10, 1993
The Hoosiers, led by Greg Graham’s 32 points, defeat Michigan State, 99-68, to win an unprecedented 19th Big Ten Championship, 11th under Bob Knight.

March 25, 1993
Calbert Cheaney scores 32 points to lead Indiana to an 82-69 win over Louisville. In the process, Cheaney sets a school record for most points in a single season, finishing the year with 785, eclipsing the mark of 752 set by Scott May in 1976.

Spring, 1993
Calbert Cheaney is selected as the Big Ten MVP and is also the consensus Collegiate Player of the Year.

Summer, 1993
Walt Bellamy is inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

Summer, 1995
In celebration of the Big Ten Centennial, Bob Knight is selected as the Conference’s all-time coach and the 1975-76 team is picked as the best in league history.

March 5, 1997
Bob Knight wins his 700th career game in a 70-66 victory over Wisconsin. He becomes the youngest coach in NCAA history to reach that milestone.

December 18, 1999
Bob Knight wins his 750th career game in a 99-80 victory over Wyoming.

January 8, 2000
Indiana sets a school record with 14 blocked shots en route to an 85-78 victory over Penn State.

September 10, 2000
IU President Myles Brand announces that Head Coach Bob Knight has been terminated after leading the Hoosiers from 1972-2000. He posted a school-best mark of 661-240 and won three NCAA Championships.

September 12, 2000
Director of Athletics Clarence Doninger names Mike Davis Indiana’s 25th head men’s basketball coach. He is the first African American head coach in Indiana University athletics history.

December 2, 2000
Indiana hits a school-record 15 three-pointers en route to an 85-63 victory over Southern Illinois.

January 7, 2001
Kirk Haston hits a three-pointer at the buzzer as the Hoosiers defeat No. 1 ranked Michigan State. It marked the first-ever win over a No. 1 team at Assembly Hall.

February 24, 2001
The Hoosiers miss just 14 shots shooting 70.2 percent from the floor to defeat Wisconsin 85-55.

March 5, 2001
Jared Jeffries is named the Bi g Ten’s Freshman of the Year. Kirk Haston is named to the All-Big Ten first team while Jeffries earns second team honors.

March 10, 2001
Indiana knocks off Illinois to advance to its first-ever Big Ten Tournament Championship game.

March 21, 2001
Mike Davis is named the Hoosiers permanent head coach.

June, 2001
Nearly 100 former Hoosier players come back to Bloomington to celebrate 100 years of Indiana Basketball. The All-Century team, as selected by the fans, is honored.

Jan. 27, 2002
The Hoosiers set a new school and Big Ten record by connecting on 17 three-pointers en route to an 88-57 victory over Illinois.

March 2, 2002
Indiana closes out the conference season with a 79-67 win over Northwestern. The victory earned the Hoosiers a share of their 20th league title.

March 5, 2002
Indiana's Jared Jeffries is named Big Ten Player-of-the-Year by the media and coaches and Dane Fife is named Co-Defensive Player-of-the-Year. Jeffries also earns First Team All-Big Ten honors and Tom Coverdale is named to the second team.

March 16, 2002
The Hoosiers defeat UNC-Wilmington, 76-67, and advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1994.

March 21, 2002
Indiana overcomes a 17-point deficit to defeat No. 1 Duke, 74-73, in the NCAA South Regional semifinals.

March 23, 2002
Indiana sets a new NCAA school record by hitting 15 three-pointers in their 81-69 win over Kent State. The victory earns the Hoosiers their first trip to the Final Four since 1992.

March 30, 2002
The Hoosiers post a 73-64 victory over No. 3 ranked Oklahoma to advance to the NCAA Championship game.

June 26, 2002
Hoosier sophomore Jared Jeffries is selected 11th overall in the first round of the NBA draft by the Washington Wizards. He is the 18th first round selection in school history and the first "lottery pick" since Calbert Cheaney was selected sixth overall by Washington in 1993.

December 3, 2002
In a rematch of the national championship game held eight months earlier, Indiana knocks off Maryland, 80-74 in overtime. The game highlights the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, as the Hoosiers overcame a 14-point deficit. Senior guard Tom Coverdale turned in one of the finest single-game efforts in school history, finishing with 30 points (5-of-10 from the three-point line and 9-of-10 from the free throw line), six rebounds, five assists, four steals and just one turnover in 43 minutes.

March 16, 2003
Indiana extends the nation’s second-longest active NCAA Tournament appearance streak to 18 straight years when the Hoosiers are paired against coach Mike Davis’ alma mater, Alabama, in the first round of the Midwest Region. IU defeated the Crimson Tide, 67-62 on March 21 at The Fleet Center in Boston.