Tom Crean - Men's Basketball Coach - Indiana University Athletics

Tom Crean

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
mbasket@indiana.edu
Phone:
(812) 855-2238

• Tom Crean guided the Indiana basketball program from April, 2008 until March, 2017. He finished as the third winningest coach in Indiana history with 166 victories and will be remembered as one of the most important figures having taken over a program decimated by rules violations and poor character into a team ranked No. 1 in the preseason just five years later.
• Crean inherited a program facing NCAA sanctions and the return of one scholarship player. His vision for the program and passion never wavered and the results were achievements not seen in Bloomington for close to 20 years.
• The Hoosiers finished 18-16 in his final season and earned an NIT berth. During the year, his club was decimated by injuries to starters Collin Hartman and OG Anunoby but was nationally ranked for the sixth straight year. The Hoosiers beat eventual national champion North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and also beat #1 seed Kansas in the Armed Forces Classic in Hawaii.
• After capturing Indiana’s Big Ten record tying 22nd league title in 2016, Tom Crean, the consensus Big Ten Coach of the Year, and his staff restored the great tradition that Indiana University basketball has enjoyed for many years. He also was a finalist for the 2016 Naismith National Coach of the Year and the 2016 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year.
• He has led IU to top 10 final rankings in 2013 (7^th) and 2016 (9^th), the programs first multiple top 10 finishes in a four year period since 1992 and 1993. During the past five years, he has led IU to a 120-53 record and won the 2013 and 2016 Big Ten titles outright. The outright title is the team’s second in a four year period with the last time time that happened at IU was in 1980, 81 and 83. Crean (2) joins Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Ohio State’s Thad Matta (3 apiece) as active Big Ten Coaches with multiple outright Big Ten Championships.
• The 2015-16 edition made its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in five seasons after the Hoosiers topped #10 Kentucky, 73-67, in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament in Des Moines.. IU has been nationally ranked during each of the last five campaigns and the multiple trips to the Regional round are the first for IU since advancing in 1991, 92, 93, and 94.. IU also spent 11 weeks as the No. 1 team in the nation in 2012-13 and the programs 25 regular season wins over ranked teams during that same time frame is a Big Ten best.
• The 2015-16 Hoosiers were just one of three teams in the last 20 years in college basketball to average more than 80 points, shoot better than 50 percent from the field and 41 percent from three point range. The others are the 2001-02 Kansas Jayhawks and the 2000-01 Stanford Cardinal.
• The Hoosiers were 8-4 against Top 50 teams and were 17-0 at home, the first undefeated home season for IU since the 2006-07 campaign. The Hoosiers were 3rd in the country in field goal percentage (50.2), 5th in 3-point field goal percentage (41.6), 7th in total three-point field goals (345), 11th in scoring (82.6), 12th in scoring margin (12.7), and 19th in assists (560). Their 345 3-point field goals also established a new school record.
• In the last six seasons, IU has had the most potent offense in the Big Ten leading in points scored (77.8), field goal percentage (47.7), and three-point field goal percentage (40.1). The Hoosiers lead all major conference schools in field goal percentage in that time frame and in three-point percentage since the beginning of Crean’s tenure.
• Three players, Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell (2016), Cody Zeller (2013) and Victor Oladipo (2013) were selected as All-Americans. In addition, Oladipo earned two National Player of the Year honors and was named National Defensive Player of the Year.
• Crean has seen 11 of his former IU players sign professional contacts. When Noah Vonleh was selected ninth in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, it gave IU a national best (tie) three lottery picks in the past two seasons. In 2013, Oladipo was selected second in the draft by the Orlando Magic and Zeller was picked fourth by the Charlotte Bobcats. Christian Watford began the 2014-15 season in training camp with the Boston Celtics and Will Sheehey, Verdell Jones III, Derek Elston, and Jordan Hulls played professionally overseas. Ferrell is with the Dallas Mavericks, Troy Williams is with the Houston Rockets and Nick Zeisloft was in the Pacers organization.
• IU landed a McDonald's All-American in five straight seasons with Zeller (2011), Ferrell (2012), Vonleh (2013), James Blackmon, Jr. (2014) and Thomas Bryant (2015). In addition, Vonleh and Troy Williams played in the 2013 Jordan Classic as did Blackmon, Jr. in 2014 and Bryant in 2015.
• Since coming to Indiana, he and his staff recruited one of the Top 10 classes in the country for 2009, a Top 15 class in 2011 and 2014, and the No. 6 classes in 2012 and 2013.
• Crean is the only Big Ten coach to mentor an NBA lottery pick, a National Player of the Year, a first team All-American, a first team Academic All-American and a Senior Class Award winner this decade.
• He inherited a program that faced the loss of two scholarships with an APR score of 866. The Hoosiers received an NCAA Public Recognition Award each of the last three years and had the top score nationally with a perfect four-year APR mark of 1,000.
• Every senior who has played for him at IU has earned his degree. Six, earned their bachelor's degree in less than four years. Twenty-one have earned bachelor's degrees and five have earned master's degrees. In 16 years as a head coach, 47 of his seniors have graduated.
• Nine players in his first seven recruiting classes have scored 1,000 points in their career under Crean at Indiana. Yogi Ferrell (1,986), Christian Watford (1,730), Verdell Jones III (1,347), Jordan Hulls (1,318), James Blackmon (1,235), Cody Zeller (1,157), Will Sheehey (1,120), Victor Oladipo (1,117) and Troy Williams (1,115) also scored 1,000 points or more.
• Since 2010, IU players have been honored 32 times on the Academic All-Big Ten team and every four-year player of his has played on a nationally ranked team at Marquette or Indiana.

2014-15
• IU was the least experienced team to participate in the NCAA Tournament Field, its third berth in the last four seasons. IU was one of 12 institutions to earn an APR Public Recognition Award and play in the NCAA Tournament this past season.
• Hoosiers captured wins during the season over nationally ranked foes SMU, Butler (Crossroads Classic), Ohio State and Maryland.
• In the win over Butler, Crean earned his 300th career victory as a head coach. IU also won its game in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge defeating Pittsburgh.
• Indiana made 319 3-point field goals on the season, setting a new IU record. That total is tied for the second-most ever by a Big Ten team in a season. The 9.4 3-point field goals made per game tied a Big Ten single-season record.
• Ferrell earned All-District and All-Big Ten honors and Blackmon, Jr., was a freshman All-American. Ferrell has a national best 65-game streak of making a 3-pointer and is One of 4 players in IU history to amass 1,300 points, 400 assists and 300 rebounds (Guyton, Wittman, Bailey). Blackmon set an IU freshman record with 77 three-point field goals made and had the third highest point total for any freshman to play at IU (Gordon, Zeller).

• IU finished sixth in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (40.6), eighth in the nation in 3-point field goals made per game and 17th in scoring (77.4). All three led the Big Ten.

2013-14
• Saw his young squad capture four wins over nationally ranked opponents during the season (Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Ohio State). As a team, IU led the Big Ten in three-point field goal defense allowing opponents to shoot just 29.9%.accuracy from long distance.
• Vonleh was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the second IU recruit in three years to earn the award. Vonleh became the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in rebounds (9.0) and set a new IU record for a freshman.
• Sheehey earned All-Big Ten honors and played in the Reese's NABC College All-Star game.
• Ferrell improved his scoring output to 17.3 points per game and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.

2012-13
• IU rallied from a five-point deficit with 54 seconds left at Michigan to post a 72-71 win over the Wolverines, earning the Hoosiers their 21st Big Ten title.
• IU won the conference for the first time since 2002, and the first outright title since 1993. The seven wins against Top 25 teams in the regular season was also a national-best.
• Crean was named NABC District 7 and USBWA District V Coach of the Year.
• Honored by the FCA when he was awarded the John Lotz "Barnabas" Award, which is presented annually by FCA to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity and encouragement to others who live a balanced life.
• Led IU to the third most successful back-to-back seasons in school history (1975-76 and 1992-93).
• Guided IU to its first No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, earned the school's third No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1980 and first consecutive appearances in the Sweet Sixteen since 1994.
• Watched Oladipo, an unheralded recruit, mature from a raw athletic player into the Sporting News National Player of the Year and Rupp Award winner as the nation's MVP. He also was NABC National Defensive Player of the Year.
• Oladipo became just the third player in IU history (Scott May, 1976 and Calbert Cheaney, 1993) to be named Sporting News National Player of the Year. Oladipo was just the second Hoosier to be named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He was a first team All-American and a first team All-Big Ten pick as well.
• Oladipo and Zeller earned All-America honors, giving IU two USBWA All-Americans in one season for the first time since 1976. The duo was also honored bythe AP and were part of 10-man Wooden All-American squad.
• Hulls and Zeller become the first Hoosiers to earn Academic All-America honors since 1999.
• Sheehey become the first Hoosier to win the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and Ferrell was named All-Freshman.
• Posted a Big Ten-high six student athletes on the league's All-Academic team.
• IU notched a national best among power conference's with a 7-2 road record.
• Saw IU post a win at No. 4 Michigan State, the highest-ranking road win in school history.
• Also posted an 81-68 road win at No.10 Ohio State, the first road win against a ranked foe since 2002.
• The win over Michigan State gave Indiana four wins against teams ranked in the AP Top 10 at the time the game was played, the most in a single-season since 1992-93 season (six).
• Saw No. 3 IU defeat No. 1 Michigan at home, 81-73, in a game that featured the two highest ranked teams ever to play in Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers followed that up with a 72-71 win at Michigan on the final day of the regular season to win the Big Ten crown.
• On Jan. 30, 2013, Indiana topped Purdue in West Lafayette by a score of 97-60, the third-largest margin of victory by the road team in a Big Ten Conference game. The loss was also the worst-ever loss for Purdue in Mackey Arena.
• Led the Big Ten in scoring, scoring margin, 3-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage as a team.

2011-12
• Guided IU to its sixth-winningest season in school history with a 27-9 mark and a berth in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 and a No. 13 national ranking.
• Crean was named National Coach of the Year by ESPN.com and Big Ten Coach of the Year by The Sporting News following the 2011-12 season.
• IU was ranked as high as No. 7 and No. 8 in the national polls.l Guided the Hoosiers to wins over the No.1 (Kentucky), No. 2 (Ohio State) and No. 5 (Michigan State) teams, the first IU team to ever do so in the regular season. IU was ranked 16th and 17th in the final regular season polls.
• Led IU to the largest turnaround among major college conferences with a 15 1/2 game improvement, tying for the best in Big Ten history.
• In the win over Kentucky, junior Christian Watford's game winning 3-pointer was named Geico National Play of the Year and won an ESPY for Play of the Year.
• Zeller earned AP All-American honors and Watford earned All-South Region accolades at the NCAA Tournament. Zeller also earned All-District awards from the NABC and USBWA and was a second team All-Big Ten choice.
• Watford, Hulls, and Oladipo earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors, and Oladipo was a member of the All-Defensive team.
• IU lead the Big Ten in scoring, 3-point field goal shooting, field goal percentage and finish second in free throw percentage. The Hoosiers were second in the nation in 3-point percentage, fifth in overall shooting and 11th from the line.

BUILDING THE PROGRAM
• During the 2010-11 season, the Hoosiers posted their fiirst two wins over nationally ranked programs beating Illinois and Minnesota.
• Jones III and Watford earned All-Big Ten honors and Watford was named Freshman of the Year by the Sporting News in 2010.
• Defeated Pittsburgh in the 2009 Jimmy V Classic.

AT MARQUETTE
• Recruited and coached future NBA players Travis Deiner, Lazar Hayward, Wes Matthews, Steve Novak, Jerel McNeal and Dwyane Wade.
• Over his final seven seasons at Marquette, Crean compiled a record of 160-68 (.702).
• He was a two-time recipient of the Ray Meyer Conference USA, NABC District XI and USBWA District V Coach of the Year awards, and in 2003 won the Coach Clair Bee Award as well as being named a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award.
• In his nine years with the Golden Eagles, Crean's teams earned five NCAA Tournament bids, one more than the previous four Marquette coaches had in the 16 years prior to his arrival.
• Coached Dwyane Wade to the program's first conference Player of the Year award in 2003. Wade also went on to become the first Marquette player since 1978 to be named an AP first team All-American and finalist for the John Wooden Award.
• Dominic James was a first team all-conference selection in 2006-07 as well, while Jerel McNeal was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
• In 2006, Steve Novak was a unanimous first team all-conference selection and went on to be selected by the Houston Rockets in the NBA Draft.
• Travis Diener was an All-America selection in 2005 and was selected 38th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2005 Draft and went on to play for the Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers.
• The 2002-03 campaign was one of the finest in Golden Eagle history, as Marquette made a Final Four appearance for the first time since winning the NCAA Championship in 1977.
• MU won 27 games that year, 14 in conference play, thanks in part to the play of Wade in his All-American season. The Golden Eagles finished the regular season ranked No. 9 by the Associated Press and No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll and their .818 winning percentage was the program's best since 1977-78.

AS AN ASSISTANT COACH
• Prior to his arrival in Milwaukee, Crean served under Tom Izzo on the Michigan State basketball staff for four seasons, holding the position of associate head coach the last two.
• Crean also served as the Spartans' recruiting coordinator, where he routinely lured some of the nation's top talent to East Lansing, including two-time Big Ten Player of the Year Mateen Cleaves and two-time first team All-Big Ten selection Morris Peterson.
• In Crean's four years on Izzo's staff, the Spartans put together an 88-41 record and made four consecutive postseason appearances, including a trip to the 1999 Final Four. In each of Crean's four seasons, MSU's win total increased, culminating with a 33-5 season and a 15-1 Big Ten ledger in 1999.
• Prior to his tenure at Michigan State, Crean spent the 1994-95 season as an assistant coach at Pittsburgh.
• Crean served as the associate head coach at Western Kentucky from 1990 to 1994, and in each of his final two seasons with the Hilltoppers, WKU earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, including a Sun Belt Championship and a trip to the Sweet 16.
• Crean got his start in coaching on the Division I level in 1989-90, serving on Jud Heathcote's staff at Michigan State. That team posted a 28-6 record and earned a Sweet 16 trip after winning the Big Ten.

PERSONAL
• A native of Mount Pleasant, Crean earned his bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation with a minor in Psychology from Central Michigan in 1989. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award this past September. While pursuing his degree, Crean coached basketball at Alma College and Mount Pleasant High School.
• Crean was honored at the 2014 Dick Vitale Gala, along with Nick Saban and Mike Brey, for his outstanding contributions in support of the V Foundation.
• Tom and his wife, Joani, are the parents of Megan, 21, Riley, 17, and Ainsley, 12.
• Joani's father, Jack Harbaugh, was a long-time college football coach who won a Division I-AA national championship while coaching at Western Kentucky.
• Joani's brothers John (Baltimore Ravens) and Jim (Michigan) are regarded as two of the top head football coaches on the professional and collegiate level. In 2013, the two guided their teams to a historic Super Bowl matchup as Baltimore edged San Francisco. John was an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1998-2006 after joining Cam Cameron's staff at Indiana for the 1997 season as a defensive backs/special teams coach. Jim, played quarterback at Michigan and for the Indianapolis Colts and returned to lead his alma mater earlier this year after leading the San Francisco 49ers for four years and Stanford University for four years.