Need Help - Indiana 1981 Team

[81South]

Last night IU recognized their '81 title team at half-time...I was to little to remember that team. Can anyone give their thoughts about that team? How good were they? Thanks in advance.

 

[cuseincincy]

Last night IU recognized their '81 title team at half-time...I was to little to remember that team. Can anyone give their thoughts about that team? How good were they? Thanks in advance.

They were very good, not great (since they lost 9 games). But had a great player in Isaiah Thomas who was one of the best PG's ever in college (or pro). In addition to Isaiah they had a drop dead shooter in Randy Wittman who went on to play forever in the NBA. He was kind of a Korver type shooter. Also had size inside with Ray Tolbert and Landon Turner. Turner would have been an NBA player also but was paralyzed sometime prior to his senior season (don't remember the timing). Jim Thomas was the last starter and he was a good college guard made better by playing with Isaiah. 3 1st round picks and one who would have been in Turner (seem to remember someone drafted him late despite his injury). Its funny to look back over time that this was only 5 years after IU's undefeated team. Seemed like forever ago at that point in time. Not unsimilar from SU's 2003 team, talented role players but they had the best player on the court every game they played.

 

[Newhouser]

Ted Kitchel waon that team as well. I think they played the game the night Reagan was shot. Al Wood was Carolina's best player and I agree that if you put Zeke on either team whoever had him was winning.

 

[Hoo's That]

Ted Kitchel waon that team as well. I think they played the game the night Reagan was shot. Al Wood was Carolina's best player and I agree that if you put Zeke on either team whoever had him was winning.

Yes. It was played that night. UVa played LSU in the last-ever consolation game just before it. The shooting was one of the factors that lead to the eventual end of having that game.

 

[dasher]

Last night IU recognized their '81 title team at half-time...I was to little to remember that team. Can anyone give their thoughts about that team? How good were they? Thanks in advance.

They got two big breaks if I recall correctly. Depaul, the top seed, was knocked off by St Joe's. And I think the regional was at their home court.

 

[OttoMets]

Yes. It was played that night. UVa played LSU in the last-ever consolation game just before it. The shooting was one of the factors that lead to the eventual end of having that game.

All very interesting. The day Reagan was shot, Indiana, UNC played for the NCAA championship

Apparently there's a '30 for 30' short about this, too. I wasn't aware of any of this.

 

[jncuse]

Yes. It was played that night. UVa played LSU in the last-ever consolation game just before it. The shooting was one of the factors that lead to the eventual end of having that game.

I am interested in knowing why the shooting would have impacted the decision to end the consolation game. Thanks.

 

[KaiserUEO]

I am interested in knowing why the shooting would have impacted the decision to end the consolation game. Thanks.

it helped to clarify the uselessness and unimportance of a consolation game.

 

[Cheriehoop]

it helped to clarify the uselessness and unimportance of a consolation game.

No more raucous "we're #3 chants"!

 

[sutomcat]

Last night IU recognized their '81 title team at half-time...I was to little to remember that team. Can anyone give their thoughts about that team? How good were they? Thanks in advance.

They were good. Not many close games late in the season.

The 1981 championship season — in their words