Indiana University Athletics
IU Seeks Its Own History Against UNC
3/25/2016 8:38:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com
PHILADELPHIA - The April. 6, 1981 edition of Sports Illustrated is a prominent fixture in Indiana's locker room.
The cover shows Isiah Thomas cutting down the nets in Philadelphia after being named the Final Four's Most Outstanding player in helping IU defeat North Carolina to secure a fourth national championship. Indiana head coach Tom Crean had the image blown up into a full-sized poster to capture the moment.
Back in Philadelphia again, No. 5 Indiana is looking to make NCAA Tournament history of its own worth commemorating against No. 1 North Carolina. The two blue-blood programs will play at the Wells Fargo Center around 10 p.m. for the right to advance to the Elite Eight.
"They know the history. And they see the pictures," Crean said. "I told them from the very beginning they have no idea how exciting it's going to be in that area. But it's like everything else we do whether it's history, whether it's being at this level. We've got to stay absolutely locked in to what we're here for."
The Hoosiers (27-7) and Tar Heels (30-6) are matching up in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1984 when the Indiana topped North Carolina in Michael Jordan's final collegiate game. The schools last met in Nov. 2012 when IU beat UNC at Assembly Hall as part of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
Though Crean wants his players to respect the history, none of it will change what happens Friday.
The Hoosiers are trying to avoid the hype all together.
"You can't play the jersey," junior forward Collin Hartman said. "Those guys are good. They've very skilled. They're All-Americans. You've just got to come in with the right mindset."
Assistant coach Rob Judson has led the scouting on North Carolina. In studying the Tar Heels, he'll have seen one of the more balanced teams in the country in terms of offense-defense that boasts a frontcourt freshman forward Juwan Morgan said is unlike anything IU has faced this season.
North Carolina, the ACC's regular season and tournament champion, got through the opening weekend with a pair of double-digit wins over Florida Gulf Coast and then Providence. The Tar Heels haven't lost since Feb. 27, falling to then-No.3 Virginia on the road 79-74 as part of a stretch of four losses in eight games.
Since then, the Tar Heels have climbed to rank No. 5 in offensive efficiency and No. 11 in defensive efficiency, according to statistics guru Ken Pomeroy. North Carolina's statistical profile only highlights how few weaknesses it has.
"They're a No. 1 for a reason," senior guard Nick Zeisloft said. "They play well and play fast. And they're very athletic and talented. (North Carolina being top-ranked) adds some motivation to go out there and get them and prove what we're all about. But we just have to stick to playing their guys and ding what we do out there on the court."
North Carolina has won seven straight games, all of which have come against teams that made the NCAA Tournament. Four of those teams made the Sweet 16. Two more could have if it weren't for the Tar Heels knocking them out.
But there's a certain calmness around Indiana as it heads into its third Sweet 16 game in the last five seasons. The Hoosiers say they're not letting the brighter lights, surroundings the tougher competition of the NCAA Tournament's closing stages impact their games.
Friday just so happens to also be Crean's birthday. What he wants isn't much of a secret.
"We've gotta get him a win," junior forward Troy Williams said.
PHILADELPHIA - The April. 6, 1981 edition of Sports Illustrated is a prominent fixture in Indiana's locker room.
The cover shows Isiah Thomas cutting down the nets in Philadelphia after being named the Final Four's Most Outstanding player in helping IU defeat North Carolina to secure a fourth national championship. Indiana head coach Tom Crean had the image blown up into a full-sized poster to capture the moment.
Back in Philadelphia again, No. 5 Indiana is looking to make NCAA Tournament history of its own worth commemorating against No. 1 North Carolina. The two blue-blood programs will play at the Wells Fargo Center around 10 p.m. for the right to advance to the Elite Eight.
"They know the history. And they see the pictures," Crean said. "I told them from the very beginning they have no idea how exciting it's going to be in that area. But it's like everything else we do whether it's history, whether it's being at this level. We've got to stay absolutely locked in to what we're here for."
The Hoosiers (27-7) and Tar Heels (30-6) are matching up in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1984 when the Indiana topped North Carolina in Michael Jordan's final collegiate game. The schools last met in Nov. 2012 when IU beat UNC at Assembly Hall as part of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
Though Crean wants his players to respect the history, none of it will change what happens Friday.
The Hoosiers are trying to avoid the hype all together.
"You can't play the jersey," junior forward Collin Hartman said. "Those guys are good. They've very skilled. They're All-Americans. You've just got to come in with the right mindset."
Assistant coach Rob Judson has led the scouting on North Carolina. In studying the Tar Heels, he'll have seen one of the more balanced teams in the country in terms of offense-defense that boasts a frontcourt freshman forward Juwan Morgan said is unlike anything IU has faced this season.
North Carolina, the ACC's regular season and tournament champion, got through the opening weekend with a pair of double-digit wins over Florida Gulf Coast and then Providence. The Tar Heels haven't lost since Feb. 27, falling to then-No.3 Virginia on the road 79-74 as part of a stretch of four losses in eight games.
Since then, the Tar Heels have climbed to rank No. 5 in offensive efficiency and No. 11 in defensive efficiency, according to statistics guru Ken Pomeroy. North Carolina's statistical profile only highlights how few weaknesses it has.
"They're a No. 1 for a reason," senior guard Nick Zeisloft said. "They play well and play fast. And they're very athletic and talented. (North Carolina being top-ranked) adds some motivation to go out there and get them and prove what we're all about. But we just have to stick to playing their guys and ding what we do out there on the court."
North Carolina has won seven straight games, all of which have come against teams that made the NCAA Tournament. Four of those teams made the Sweet 16. Two more could have if it weren't for the Tar Heels knocking them out.
But there's a certain calmness around Indiana as it heads into its third Sweet 16 game in the last five seasons. The Hoosiers say they're not letting the brighter lights, surroundings the tougher competition of the NCAA Tournament's closing stages impact their games.
Friday just so happens to also be Crean's birthday. What he wants isn't much of a secret.
"We've gotta get him a win," junior forward Troy Williams said.
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