The fans still do the wave (how ’70s) and the warmup pants are still the red-and-white vertical stripes (how American Basketball Association). Indiana appears stuck in the past. Now, the Hoosiers’ fans have a throwback basketball team to cheer for.
Of the eight Final Fours Indiana has visited, this has to be the biggest surprise since the 1973 team, which lost to eventual national champion UCLA. That team was coached by a second-year coach (Bob Knight).
“Going to the Final Four is really, really big for the program,” second-year Indiana coach Mike Davis said. “To be here this year after all we’ve gone through is a blessing.”
Two years after Knight was dismissed, the Hoosiers overcame a 7-5 start, won a share of the Big Ten Conference championship and then upended defending national champ Duke in the South Regional semifinals on the way to a national semifinal matchup Saturday with Oklahoma.
Indiana (24-11)
How they got to Atlanta: Defeated 12th seed Utah 75-56 in the first round; defeated 13th seed North Carolina-Wilmington 76-67 in the second; defeated No. 1 seed Duke 74-73 in the regional semifinal; defeated 10th seed Kent State 81-69 in the regional final.
Why they got there: The fifth seed Hoosiers cut their teeth on a rugged nonconference schedule that included losses to NCAA Tournament teams Marquette, Southern Illinois, Miami and Kentucky. Indiana is a versatile team that has the ability to play a power, inside game, but also has enough shooters to be dangerous from the outside. The Hoosiers are solid rebounders and in the past six weeks, have turned up the defensive intensity.
NCAA Tournament history: This is Indiana’s 31st NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers have a 56-25 record and are making their eighth Final Four appearance (first since 1992). Indiana has five national championships (1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987).
Last Final Four trip: Indiana reached the Final Four semifinals in Minneapolis in 1992 but lost to defending national champion Duke 81-78.
Coach: Mike Davis is 45-24 in his second season as Indiana’s coach. Davis was named interim coach in September 2000 when Bob Knight was dismissed. Davis was hired as the full-time coach after last season.
Star player: Jared Jeffries. A versatile 6-foot-10 sophomore, Jeffries leads the Hoosiers in scoring and rebounding.
Role player: Dane Fife. A 6-4 senior guard, Fife is the son of a high school coach. The Michigan native is a tough defender and screen setter. This season, though, he’s been an unexpected pleasure on three-pointers.
The fans still do the wave (how ’70s) and the warmup pants are still the red-and-white vertical stripes (how American Basketball Association). Indiana appears stuck in the past. Now, the Hoosiers’ fans have a throwback basketball team to cheer for.
Of the eight Final Fours Indiana has visited, this has to be the biggest surprise since the 1973 team, which lost to eventual national champion UCLA. That team was coached by a second-year coach (Bob Knight).
“Going to the Final Four is really, really big for the program,” second-year Indiana coach Mike Davis said. “To be here this year after all we’ve gone through is a blessing.”
Two years after Knight was dismissed, the Hoosiers overcame a 7-5 start, won a share of the Big Ten Conference championship and then upended defending national champ Duke in the South Regional semifinals on the way to a national semifinal matchup Saturday with Oklahoma.
Indiana (24-11)
How they got to Atlanta: Defeated 12th seed Utah 75-56 in the first round; defeated 13th seed North Carolina-Wilmington 76-67 in the second; defeated No. 1 seed Duke 74-73 in the regional semifinal; defeated 10th seed Kent State 81-69 in the regional final.
Why they got there: The fifth seed Hoosiers cut their teeth on a rugged nonconference schedule that included losses to NCAA Tournament teams Marquette, Southern Illinois, Miami and Kentucky. Indiana is a versatile team that has the ability to play a power, inside game, but also has enough shooters to be dangerous from the outside. The Hoosiers are solid rebounders and in the past six weeks, have turned up the defensive intensity.
NCAA Tournament history: This is Indiana’s 31st NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers have a 56-25 record and are making their eighth Final Four appearance (first since 1992). Indiana has five national championships (1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987).
Last Final Four trip: Indiana reached the Final Four semifinals in Minneapolis in 1992 but lost to defending national champion Duke 81-78.
Coach: Mike Davis is 45-24 in his second season as Indiana’s coach. Davis was named interim coach in September 2000 when Bob Knight was dismissed. Davis was hired as the full-time coach after last season.
Star player: Jared Jeffries. A versatile 6-foot-10 sophomore, Jeffries leads the Hoosiers in scoring and rebounding.
Role player: Dane Fife. A 6-4 senior guard, Fife is the son of a high school coach. The Michigan native is a tough defender and screen setter. This season, though, he’s been an unexpected pleasure on three-pointers.
The fans still do the wave (how ’70s) and the warmup pants are still the red-and-white vertical stripes (how American Basketball Association). Indiana appears stuck in the past. Now, the Hoosiers’ fans have a throwback basketball team to cheer for.
Of the eight Final Fours Indiana has visited, this has to be the biggest surprise since the 1973 team, which lost to eventual national champion UCLA. That team was coached by a second-year coach (Bob Knight).
“Going to the Final Four is really, really big for the program,” second-year Indiana coach Mike Davis said. “To be here this year after all we’ve gone through is a blessing.”
Two years after Knight was dismissed, the Hoosiers overcame a 7-5 start, won a share of the Big Ten Conference championship and then upended defending national champ Duke in the South Regional semifinals on the way to a national semifinal matchup Saturday with Oklahoma.
Indiana (24-11)
How they got to Atlanta: Defeated 12th seed Utah 75-56 in the first round; defeated 13th seed North Carolina-Wilmington 76-67 in the second; defeated No. 1 seed Duke 74-73 in the regional semifinal; defeated 10th seed Kent State 81-69 in the regional final.
Why they got there: The fifth seed Hoosiers cut their teeth on a rugged nonconference schedule that included losses to NCAA Tournament teams Marquette, Southern Illinois, Miami and Kentucky. Indiana is a versatile team that has the ability to play a power, inside game, but also has enough shooters to be dangerous from the outside. The Hoosiers are solid rebounders and in the past six weeks, have turned up the defensive intensity.
NCAA Tournament history: This is Indiana’s 31st NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers have a 56-25 record and are making their eighth Final Four appearance (first since 1992). Indiana has five national championships (1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987).
Last Final Four trip: Indiana reached the Final Four semifinals in Minneapolis in 1992 but lost to defending national champion Duke 81-78.
Coach: Mike Davis is 45-24 in his second season as Indiana’s coach. Davis was named interim coach in September 2000 when Bob Knight was dismissed. Davis was hired as the full-time coach after last season.
Star player: Jared Jeffries. A versatile 6-foot-10 sophomore, Jeffries leads the Hoosiers in scoring and rebounding.
Role player: Dane Fife. A 6-4 senior guard, Fife is the son of a high school coach. The Michigan native is a tough defender and screen setter. This season, though, he’s been an unexpected pleasure on three-pointers.
The fans still do the wave (how ’70s) and the warmup pants are still the red-and-white vertical stripes (how American Basketball Association). Indiana appears stuck in the past. Now, the Hoosiers’ fans have a throwback basketball team to cheer for.
Of the eight Final Fours Indiana has visited, this has to be the biggest surprise since the 1973 team, which lost to eventual national champion UCLA. That team was coached by a second-year coach (Bob Knight).
“Going to the Final Four is really, really big for the program,” second-year Indiana coach Mike Davis said. “To be here this year after all we’ve gone through is a blessing.”
Two years after Knight was dismissed, the Hoosiers overcame a 7-5 start, won a share of the Big Ten Conference championship and then upended defending national champ Duke in the South Regional semifinals on the way to a national semifinal matchup Saturday with Oklahoma.
Indiana (24-11)
How they got to Atlanta: Defeated 12th seed Utah 75-56 in the first round; defeated 13th seed North Carolina-Wilmington 76-67 in the second; defeated No. 1 seed Duke 74-73 in the regional semifinal; defeated 10th seed Kent State 81-69 in the regional final.
Why they got there: The fifth seed Hoosiers cut their teeth on a rugged nonconference schedule that included losses to NCAA Tournament teams Marquette, Southern Illinois, Miami and Kentucky. Indiana is a versatile team that has the ability to play a power, inside game, but also has enough shooters to be dangerous from the outside. The Hoosiers are solid rebounders and in the past six weeks, have turned up the defensive intensity.
NCAA Tournament history: This is Indiana’s 31st NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers have a 56-25 record and are making their eighth Final Four appearance (first since 1992). Indiana has five national championships (1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987).
Last Final Four trip: Indiana reached the Final Four semifinals in Minneapolis in 1992 but lost to defending national champion Duke 81-78.
Coach: Mike Davis is 45-24 in his second season as Indiana’s coach. Davis was named interim coach in September 2000 when Bob Knight was dismissed. Davis was hired as the full-time coach after last season.
Star player: Jared Jeffries. A versatile 6-foot-10 sophomore, Jeffries leads the Hoosiers in scoring and rebounding.
Role player: Dane Fife. A 6-4 senior guard, Fife is the son of a high school coach. The Michigan native is a tough defender and screen setter. This season, though, he’s been an unexpected pleasure on three-pointers.
