1976 was the last year when a team went undefeated all the way through the NCAA tournament – “Your Indiana Hoosiers.” It’s a record that has held now for 46 years, but the Cream and Crimson have also gone through hard times since then, especially the last 20 years since they’ve been in the championship game and 25-years since they’ve won it all. It’s been frustrating right up to these last few games, feeling now that a dark cloud has finally lifted with their play in the BIG Tournament. Even though it didn’t turn out the way we wanted against Iowa, we still accomplished what we all wanted – a ticket to the “Big Dance.” We’ll know for sure after the Selection Show, but let’s reflect on all the really bad streaks we stopped this year:
Four consecutive losses against Illinois.
Five consecutive seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Eight consecutive seasons without a Big Ten Tournament Semifinals appearance.
Nine consecutive losses against Purdue.
Nine consecutive losses against Michigan.
19 consecutive years without multiple wins in a single Big Ten Tournament.
Granted, Wisconsin only added to our frustrations this season with two more close looses. Plus, Iowa ended our tournament run on a last second prayer. We even hit 60 first, but “The Rule” has some exceptions that make it interesting. We could have been playing Purdue for all the marbles. Wouldn’t that have been a treat for the basketball fans in the state of Indiana?
Would of…could of…should of – the story of this season.
IU certainly didn’t get any breaks from the selection committee. They are barely in the field as a twelve seed with a play-in game against Wyoming in Dayton, followed by a long flight to Portland if they win, and a match-up with St. Mary’s. If they somehow get by these hurdles, UCLA lurks in the shadows. It could come down to three games in five days for the short-handed Hoosiers who might be without Galloway and Geronimo. Regardless, it’s time to dance!
The Michigan game was like the changing of the conference guard, as last year’s BIG Ten Coach of the Year returned from an embarrassing suspension to the additional disappointment of a loss in his first game back. The boos were prevalent at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Michigan had won the last 7 games, dating back to February of 2017 in Bloomington and Coach Tom Crean, who was just fired at Georgia. Archie Miller couldn’t get the job done either, much like his woes against Purdue and Wisconsin, to mention a couple of Miller curses. Woodson is now in a position to become coach of the year and maybe the last two decades, with regard to Indiana success. Maybe the conference was premature in naming Greg Gard? What a turnaround we’ve witnessed!
The ILL-INI chant is very annoying, making me ILL, especially after four straight victories over the Hoosiers. The earlier meeting this season in friendly Simon Skjodt was anything but that, as the Blue & Orange battered IU down the stretch 74-57 and started a 5-game February skid. Then came March and two more critical losses to burst the bubble. “Suddenly,” as Don Fisher exclaimed things turned around in the most unexpected place – the BIG Tourney. Speaking of curses, this one dates back to Coach Knight. It did not exist when Mike Woodson was a player, so this was his first experience.
Michigan was first to fall and last year’s winner and this year’s #1 seed, Illinois, was the next victim. A friend texted me when IU hit 60 first but only with a 1-point lead with 3:23 on the clock. It was Trayce Jackson-Davis who got them there at the free throw line, on his way 21-points. Kofi Cockburn outscored him by two, but he held his own against another All- BIG center for the second game in a row, after being outplayed in their previous match-ups.
The game was a classic example of the “Magic of 60,” where IU got there first and held on to win. As I asked my friend who texted me at the 60-mark, “Do you believe in Magic?” He responded, “It’s the Rule of 60,” and once again held up.”
Next up high-scoring Iowa and another shot at revenge. They were the one team where Archie Miller had their number, beating them twice last year and once more in 2019-2020. The ILL-INI chant is now less annoying. Go IU!
It’s the last chance to make the Big Dance, as the BIG tournament continues in Indianapolis. IU was the #9 seed, playing Michigan for the second time this season. Both teams are on the tournament bubble, although the Wolverines are currently in while the Hoosiers are the first team out. Michigan head coach Juwan Howard has been reinstated to once again lead them to victory, as he did in Ann Arbor 80-62. At halftime in that game, it was 38-30, as Hunter Dickinson put them over the 60-mark with 9:29 remaining and a 14-point lead. IU finally got to 60 at 4:07 and soon cut the lead to 11, but never got closer. Dickenson finished with 25 and 9 rebounds while Trayce Jackson Davis was a miserable 6-13 from the free throw line and totaled 17 in the losing effort, overshadowed by Caleb Houston’s 19. The Hoosiers get a second chance for victory and hopefully will play better defense, especially against the three. Michigan was a sizzling 11-17 behind the arc. They also need more offense from Race Thompson and better three-point shooting than 5-19, as was the case in that first match-up.
If the Hoosiers don’t prevail against Michigan, they deserve nothing better than the NIT and a chance to play some teams outside the conference where the haven’t been able to effectively compete down the stretch or on the road. Indy should be like a second home for the Hoosiers where they beat NCAA Tourney bound Notre Dame earlier this season. Can the Candy Stripes do it again today?
It was another Tale of Two Halves, but this time it was a Hoosier Happy ending. A massive comeback and a 46-point second half made up for a lot of letdowns this season. The Wolverines easily reached 60 at the 12:54 mark with a 17-point bulge, but only scored 9 more the entire game, allowing IU to ultimately pass them 63-62 with 5:32 remaining. In that 7-minute span, relentless defense allowed only two free throws by Eli Brooks and caused 6 turnovers. Hunter Dickinson had only one bucket the entire second half and 15 overall, ten less than the first time around. Trayce Jackson-Davis led all scorers with 24, followed by Xavier Johnson with 17. Michigan was 6-20 from three point range, a vast improvement for IU’s perimeter defense since the previous match-up. It’s now on to the next round against Illinois and another chance to impress the selection committee with more revenge. Final: IU 74 Michigan 69.
Another chance for a ticket to the field of 64, but a tall order for a season sweep of #8 Purdue. The Boilermakers had won the last six in West Lafayette and it was Senior Night honoring Trevion Williams, Sasha Stefanovic, and Eric Hunter Jr. They combined for 40-points in a 69-67 victory. It was just another case of the Hoosiers not being able to hold on, up 56-52 with just under seven minutes to play. The Boilers went on a 7-0 run and hit the 60-mark at 4:33. It was similar to the previous game in Bloomington, but IU couldn’t get to sixty first this time. Rob Phinisee hit the winning three with :18 seconds remaining back in January but Xavier Johnson missed everything on his last second attempt. Purdue prevailed 69-67 and left Indiana dateless for the dance.
The Hoosiers had blown leads in their last two games and lost seven of their last nine. It brought back bad memories of Syracuse in November when IU could have won in the first overtime but couldn’t get off a shot. It was also reminiscent of the two Wisconsin games, Ohio State, and Rutgers where we didn’t execute down the stretch, just like the loss to Purdue. If IU had won even half of those six games, they would be dancing.
They will have yet another chance to redeem themselves in the BIG Tourney, but history has not been kind. Not only have they never won it, but they are 13-23 overall. IU would need to beat both Michigan and Wisconsin (make that Illinois) to turn some heads with the selection committee. However, “if it weren’t for bad luck, we wouldn’t have any luck at all.” The first Purdue game was the only clutch performance we’ve had so far this year and it prevented a 10th straight loss.
At this point, considering their inability to close out games, they are NIT bound. The National Invitational Tournament was Mike Woodson’s only collegiate championship as a player. As a Freshman, the Hoosiers didn’t play in the post season. In his Sophomore year 1977-78, the team lost to Villanova 61-60 in the NCAA Tournament. IU got to 60 first on his 24-point performance, but it wasn’t enough as Rory Sparrow hit the winning shot. The next year, 1978-79, only two teams from each conference could qualify for the NCAA, so the NIT was where Coach Mike Woodson as a player cut down the nets after the last-second victory over Purdue. His Senior year ended with a loss to the Boilermakers in the NCAA tournament. Woodson was 4-6 against Purdue as a player and now 1-1 as a coach.
I don’t think anybody’s counting on IU to beat Purdue again this season, especially at Mackey on Senior Day. Most Indiana fans would be content with simply a win over Rutgers and an elusive invitation to the NCAA Tournament. Maybe we could even get revenge over Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa or Purdue in the conference tourney to put some extra icing on the cake.
Last year, IU lost to Rutgers a record three times, including 61-50 in the Big Ten tournament; Archie Miller’s last game as coach. The Scarlet Knights returned five of the eight top players from that time that reached the second round of the bracket, after making the field for the first time in 30 years. They were in the Final Four when IU won it all in 1976, losing to Michigan.
Going into the Rutgers game, we knew that no lead was safe since the Hoosier offense was prone to stalling, starting with the official Woodson era opener that saw a nearly disastrous collapse against Eastern Michigan. Up by 11 the lead painfully shrunk to 1. It was a similar story against St. John’s losing a 14-point lead before winning by 2. A 10-point lead to Marshall was cut to three, but the Hoosiers showed fight against Syracuse, making up a 16-point deficit to take the Orange into two overtimes. However, they then blew a 22-point lead at Wisconsin and a 7-point advantage over Iowa. When the Badgers came to Bloomington, I.U. had them on the ropes for the second time before once again falling short. The rollercoaster took another dip, to make Hoosier stomachs woozy with the Minnesota near-nightmare. Would this disturbing pattern of momentum shifts continue in the battle of the bubble teams?
On Senior Night against the Scarlet Knights, the Hoosiers squandered two ten-point leads, after Coach Pikiell moved his defense into a crafty zone and shut down the hot-shooting Jackson-Davis. After 15-points in the first half, he was limited to only four from that point on, including two free throws. He had no baskets in the last 19 minutes and nine seconds of the game. IU got stuck at the 52 mark with an edge of seven but failed to score for over 4-minutes, allowing Rutgers to tie the game. They got to sixty first with 41-seconds remaining on two Clifford Omoruyl free throws and won 68-63 on a last second shot by Ron Harper, Jr.
IU’s Miller Kopp made a pair of free throws, forced a turnover, and got the ball to Parker Stewart for a tying three before Harper sealed the win. Sadly, it was another tale of two halves with the Hoosiers not making plays down the stretch. 6 for 21 from three-point range with Stewart at only 2-9 was the difference in the game, as we failed to shoot over the zone. Rutgers is headed to the Big Dance, while the Hoosiers may have to settle for the NIT. The frustration continues with Purdue up next and even an upset probably won’t make a difference.
For Indiana basketball this season, no second-half lead ever seems comfortable. It was a 27-point margin at the 13:49 mark after a Jordan Geronimo dunk with the score at 53-36. Minnesota scored an incredible 43-points from that moment on, one every 19.3 seconds, including 6-threes in the last seven minutes. It was nearly another Hoosier collapse, this time at Williams Arena, maybe even greater than against Wisconsin in Madison, except this time they held on for victory. IU even reached the magical sixty mark at 11:55, up by twenty-two. but it all came down to Xavier Johnson free throws for a narrow 84-79 win. The Golden Gophers had cut it to three, a one-possession game, with :05 remaining.
Regardless of the final score, IU got its third conference road win and evened their BIG record at 9-9. Most tournament experts considered them to be one of the last four teams in, with two regular season and at least one BIG tourney game remaining on the schedule. Both IU and Rutgers (10-8), sitting on that scary bubble, would meet in Bloomington next to earn a decisive edge from the selection committee. Michigan at 9-8 was also a factor in the overall scheme of conference opponents that might make the Big Dance. Was there room for nine BIG teams?
I don’t think anybody’s counting on IU to beat Purdue again this season, especially at Mackey on Senior Day with the conference title on the line. Most Indiana fans would be content with simply a win over Rutgers and an elusive invitation to the NCAA Tournament. Maybe we could even get revenge over Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa or Purdue to put some extra icing on the cake.
We’re now down to the “Do or Done” portion of the 21-22 season. I would use the phrase, “Do or Die,” but that’s a bit radical for basketball. Four games remained before the BIG tournament and a win in the critical first road game against Ohio State might have sealed our ticket to the Big Dance. Instead, it made another mockery out of the “Rule of Sixty.”
I.U. had already beaten the Buckeyes in Bloomington, but the selection committee is looking for road victories. Only Nebraska and Maryland at the bottom of the conference were such accommodating victims. A win at Value City Arena might have turned some heads, but Ohio State was up by 5 at the half. I.U. was without point guard depth due to injuries to Trey Galloway, Khristian Lander, and Rob Phinisee injuries. Additionally, Xavier Johnson got into foul trouble, but Tamar Bates hit a triple with 5:09 remaining to make it 59-55. This was after the Buckeyes had gone up by 11 at the 13:32 mark. The Hoosiers went on a 20-5 run and looked like they might grab victory from the jaws of defeat. They passed the magical sixty level on a Race Thompson jumper with only 3:29 remaining, in command at 61-57. The lead stayed at four as just under a minute remained, but missed opportunities and free throws allowed E.J. Liddell to tie it at 63 on a dunk with :06 left. Trayce Jackson Davis had all but disappeared and the game was in the balance of poor outside shooting, or no shot at all as was the case when the game went to overtime.
In OT it was all Ohio State, as the Hoosiers only managed 6-points, while the Buckeyes sealed victory with 8 free throws at 80-69. If a game goes to overtime, the “Rule of 60” no longer applies, and it certainly didn’t get us a win in this one. Now, three straight victories over Maryland, Minnesota, and Rutgers are imperative. With five consecutive losses, it was DO or DONE, as far as NCAA hopes are concerned. Otherwise, it’s the NIT.
Maryland was the end of the losing streak, but it didn’t come easy. Once again, Lander, Galloway and Phinisee were out of action and it was all up to Xavier Johnson to lead the team from the point. The Hoosiers jumped out to a commanding 10-point bulge with 4:49 on the first half clock, but nearly squandered it by halftime. This inconsistent pattern continues to be a frustrating standard practice. “X” only managed four points before foul trouble put him on the bench. Fortunately, he got 20 more in the second half, including the magical sixtieth on a free throw with 6:53 to go and an 8-point lead. With good Hoosier defense, the Terrapins finally got to 60 with less than a minute remaining and lost 74-64. Next up are the struggling Golden Gophers.
In a blink, it’s 1959 and I’m eight years old. President Eisenhower and Nikita Khrushchev sat at a state dinner with their wives that year – could there be world peace? No – Russia is in the news still today, declaring war on the Ukraine. America is growing with the addition of both Alaska and Hawaii as states in 1959. Plus, NASA announced the “Mercury Seven,” as the space race between the two rival countries begins to take form. We’re supposed to visit both Alaska and Russia later this year on a Viking Cruise from Vancouver to Tokyo. Will war somehow jeopardize this trip, as Covid and fires have claimed others?
I signed up for the Wellen Park St. Patrick’s Day 5k, another neighborhood race to further support our community. Tonight is Hippie Fest, a fundraiser for Relay for Life, an additional way to interact with my new neighbors. My wife’s youngest daughter and husband arrives tomorrow evening. We pick them up at the Tampa Airport after I finish my stint babysitting for my granddaughter. On Sunday, I’m headed to St. Petersburg for the Indy Car Grand Prix. It will then be a busy week of family dinners and entertaining guests.
Tonight is also another make or break game for the Indiana Hoosiers. They face Maryland hoping to break a five-game losing streak. Because of Hippie Fest, I won’t be forced to watch it but will keep an eye on the score. Maryland was the last team that they beat, so there’s little to gain and much to lose.
No problem getting in the door this morning (See Post #1956). Another short one-mile run, with plans again to do a lot of walking. We covered a great deal of ground yesterday, starting with a boat ride from behind our hotel to the Conch Train terminal. We then toured the Hemingway house and saw the six-toed cats, followed by lunch at La Te Da. After eating, we walked to the Southernmost point, took pictures of the giant buoy, went through the Butterfly Conservatory (Rhett & Scarlett their famous pink flamingos), and shared some key lime pie at the original bakery.
A second bumpy stint on the Conch Train took us to the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum and eventually to party central, two hundred packed Duval Street bars crammed together in several blocks. We chose Sloppy Joe’s for drinks and music. It was my wife’s favorite on her college trip to Key West, before making our way to the popular sunset party at Mallory Park. We finished the day walking to Ocean Grill & Bar for fettuccini, and to the Marriott Shuttle stop that brought us back full-circle to the hotel.
I ended the evening on a sour note, turning the TV on just in time to watch the IU basketball collapse against Ohio State. After five straight losses, it’s sadly become a familiar story. The women’s team had a similar fate down the stretch, while baseball lost their first three games of the season to Clemson. Consequently, I’ve seen no one touting Hoosier (Loser) gear down here in Key West.
We catch the ferry back to Ft. Myers tonight. We’ll check-out of the Marriott in an hour or so and take a boat to the terminal to drop our luggage. I would like to go to Blue Heaven to eat, but we’ll see where the day leaves us and what the boss has in mind. I’m just along for the ride!
Wisconsin has always been a tough match-up, even at Assembly Hall, and so far this season five of the previous seven Hoosier conference victories had been due to holding their opposition to 60-points or less. Sixty usually rules, but rules are made to be broken and it finally happened to this Mike Woodson coached team. The Cream and Crimson got to sixty first at the 6:13 mark, but it took almost eight minutes to get there after building a lead of seven points, 50-43. This ten-point span from 50 to 60 often determines the outcome of the game and usually a struggle for fans like me to watch. It’s what I call “ugly time” when the offense struggles and the defense sputters. This game was no exception, as the #15 Badgers crawled back to tie the game at 56 on more Brad Davidson free throws.
Even though the Hoosiers then responded with the four points they needed to hit the magic goal of 60, Wisconsin had packed the middle, forcing IU to make outside shots. I was not comfortable despite a 65-61 lead on a Parker Stewart trey. It seemed like the Badgers had the momentum, as Johnny Davis took total control of the game, defying the “Rule of 60.” The IU lead was gone at the one-minute mark after he hit two jumpers and was fouled, making four free throws down the stretch. He accounted for the final thirteen-points of the 74-69 outcome. Wisconsin prevailed for the 23th time in the last 26 games, despite 30-points, 8-rebounds, and 6-assists from Trayce Jackson Davis. It means four straight BIG losses for the Hoosiers and sadly familiar shaky prospects of making the NCAA Tournament. Rules are made to be broken and Johnny Davis broke our backs.
