Indiana University Athletics
GoIU Newsletter On This Date - March 8, 2018
3/6/2018 10:04:00 AM | Capital
On This Date:
March 8, 1901 – Following an 0-3 start to its first official season, Indiana University won its first ever men's basketball game, defeating visiting Wabash, 26-17. Led by Coach James H. Horne, IU turned a 9-8 halftime lead into the first of what is now 1,817 victories for the program in 118 seasons. At the time, IU played its home games at the "Old" Assembly Hall, which hosted Hoosier home games from 1901-17 and was located just east of present day Owen Hall and south of the Memorial Union.
March 8, 1918 – Indiana Basketball Coach Dana Evans' squad held visiting Iowa to 13 points in the regular season finale…and lost. In what remains the fewest points ever scored by an opponent in a victory over the Hoosiers, Iowa beat IU 13-11, ending the Hoosiers' season at 10-4 overall. Indiana led 4-3 at halftime and 11-10 late in the second half before Iowa scored the game's final three points. The Hoosiers finished just 3-3 in the Big Ten, which was markedly fewer conference games than everyone else in the conference, which played either 10 or 12 games. IU's conference slate was cut short by two factors – it shortened its season due to World War I, and the Indiana-Purdue games were both cancelled before the season due to "disputes and ill feelings" between the two schools.
March 8, 1958 – Indiana captured arguably its most improbable Big Ten title with a 75-72 win at No. 12 Michigan State in the regular season finale to win the league crown and earn the conference's lone NCAA Tournament berth. Coach Branch McCracken's team had started the season in miserable fashion, losing to the likes of Ohio, Kansas State and Butler on its way to a 1-6 non-conference mark. The Hoosiers opened league play just 4-3 before winning six of its final seven to edge the Spartans and Purdue by one game. The Hoosiers were led by All-American Archie Dees, who averaged 25.5 points and 14.4 rebounds on the season.
March 8, 1965 – Recorded history says that on this day, 53 years ago, two-time NCAA Champion Branch McCracken coached his final game as IU defeated Wisconsin, 92-73, in Madison. That's not entirely true, though - McCracken was ill leading up to the season finale and didn't actually make the trip to Madison. While he is credited with the victory, his assistant coach – and soon-to-be replacement – Lou Watson coached the Hoosiers instead. In addition to it being the last of McCracken's 364 victories as IU's head coach, it remains in the Wisconsin record book as well as Badger Ken Barnes scored a school-record 43 points to go along with 23 rebounds in the 19-point loss.
March 8, 1975 – An Assembly Hall all-time record crowd of 17,912 was on hand to witness history, as the Hoosiers knocked off Michigan State 94-79 to finish the regular season with a perfect 29-0 record and a third straight Big Ten title. While undefeated regular seasons are a rarity now, that wasn't the case in the 1970s. Seven teams went undefeated during the regular season in the 1970s, including the 1975 and 1976 Hoosiers. So did the 1972 and 1973 NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins, and Larry Bird's 1979 Indiana State Sycamore squad was final team of the decade to go undefeated during the regular season (the other two teams were Rutgers' 1976 team and Alcorn State's 1979 squad).
A Former Hoosier Fans Should Know
Heather Crowe
Inducted into Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame, 1994
Crowe was a four-time All-Big Ten choice and three-time Big Ten Most Valuable Player, and is responsible for arguably the best single-season performance for an IU female student athlete. In 1982, Crowe led Coach Lin Loring's IU women's tennis team to the AIAW national championship, and then went on to win the AIAW singles national title days later in Iowa City, Iowa. The team championship remains the only national championship won by an IU women's team. Crowe went on to play professionally and participated in all four Grand Slam events before injuries cut her pro career short. Her Grand Slam highlight came in 1982 when, as an amateur, Crowe advanced to Round of 32 at the U.S. Open before losing to Zina Garrison 6-2, 7-5.
A Current Hoosier Fans Should Know
Madison Appel
Indiana Women's Tennis
The No. 1 player for Coach Ramiro Azcui's team, Appel is off to a 19-4 start this season, including a 9-2 record at No. 1 in dual matches. She's a big reason why IU is 12-3 overall as it prepares for the start of Big Ten play this weekend at Illinois. The Locust Valley, N.Y., product earned All-Big Ten honors a year ago as a sophomore after going 17-15 in singles and 29-7 in doubles.
March 8, 1901 – Following an 0-3 start to its first official season, Indiana University won its first ever men's basketball game, defeating visiting Wabash, 26-17. Led by Coach James H. Horne, IU turned a 9-8 halftime lead into the first of what is now 1,817 victories for the program in 118 seasons. At the time, IU played its home games at the "Old" Assembly Hall, which hosted Hoosier home games from 1901-17 and was located just east of present day Owen Hall and south of the Memorial Union.
March 8, 1918 – Indiana Basketball Coach Dana Evans' squad held visiting Iowa to 13 points in the regular season finale…and lost. In what remains the fewest points ever scored by an opponent in a victory over the Hoosiers, Iowa beat IU 13-11, ending the Hoosiers' season at 10-4 overall. Indiana led 4-3 at halftime and 11-10 late in the second half before Iowa scored the game's final three points. The Hoosiers finished just 3-3 in the Big Ten, which was markedly fewer conference games than everyone else in the conference, which played either 10 or 12 games. IU's conference slate was cut short by two factors – it shortened its season due to World War I, and the Indiana-Purdue games were both cancelled before the season due to "disputes and ill feelings" between the two schools.
March 8, 1958 – Indiana captured arguably its most improbable Big Ten title with a 75-72 win at No. 12 Michigan State in the regular season finale to win the league crown and earn the conference's lone NCAA Tournament berth. Coach Branch McCracken's team had started the season in miserable fashion, losing to the likes of Ohio, Kansas State and Butler on its way to a 1-6 non-conference mark. The Hoosiers opened league play just 4-3 before winning six of its final seven to edge the Spartans and Purdue by one game. The Hoosiers were led by All-American Archie Dees, who averaged 25.5 points and 14.4 rebounds on the season.
March 8, 1965 – Recorded history says that on this day, 53 years ago, two-time NCAA Champion Branch McCracken coached his final game as IU defeated Wisconsin, 92-73, in Madison. That's not entirely true, though - McCracken was ill leading up to the season finale and didn't actually make the trip to Madison. While he is credited with the victory, his assistant coach – and soon-to-be replacement – Lou Watson coached the Hoosiers instead. In addition to it being the last of McCracken's 364 victories as IU's head coach, it remains in the Wisconsin record book as well as Badger Ken Barnes scored a school-record 43 points to go along with 23 rebounds in the 19-point loss.
March 8, 1975 – An Assembly Hall all-time record crowd of 17,912 was on hand to witness history, as the Hoosiers knocked off Michigan State 94-79 to finish the regular season with a perfect 29-0 record and a third straight Big Ten title. While undefeated regular seasons are a rarity now, that wasn't the case in the 1970s. Seven teams went undefeated during the regular season in the 1970s, including the 1975 and 1976 Hoosiers. So did the 1972 and 1973 NCAA Champion UCLA Bruins, and Larry Bird's 1979 Indiana State Sycamore squad was final team of the decade to go undefeated during the regular season (the other two teams were Rutgers' 1976 team and Alcorn State's 1979 squad).
A Former Hoosier Fans Should Know
Heather CroweInducted into Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame, 1994
Crowe was a four-time All-Big Ten choice and three-time Big Ten Most Valuable Player, and is responsible for arguably the best single-season performance for an IU female student athlete. In 1982, Crowe led Coach Lin Loring's IU women's tennis team to the AIAW national championship, and then went on to win the AIAW singles national title days later in Iowa City, Iowa. The team championship remains the only national championship won by an IU women's team. Crowe went on to play professionally and participated in all four Grand Slam events before injuries cut her pro career short. Her Grand Slam highlight came in 1982 when, as an amateur, Crowe advanced to Round of 32 at the U.S. Open before losing to Zina Garrison 6-2, 7-5.
A Current Hoosier Fans Should Know
Madison AppelIndiana Women's Tennis
The No. 1 player for Coach Ramiro Azcui's team, Appel is off to a 19-4 start this season, including a 9-2 record at No. 1 in dual matches. She's a big reason why IU is 12-3 overall as it prepares for the start of Big Ten play this weekend at Illinois. The Locust Valley, N.Y., product earned All-Big Ten honors a year ago as a sophomore after going 17-15 in singles and 29-7 in doubles.
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