Hoosier Hysteria
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'''Hoosier Hysteria''' is the state of excitement surrounding the [[Indiana High School Boys Basketball Champions|Indiana high school basketball tournament]]. In part, the excitement stemmed from the inclusion of all Indiana high schools in the same tournament, where a small town's [[David]] might knock off a large city's [[Goliath]]. The most famous example occurred in [[1954]], when [[Milan High School|Milan]] (enrollment 161) defeated [[Muncie Central High School|Muncie Central]] (enrollment over 1,600) to win the State title. The plot of the now famous movie, ''[[Hoosiers]]'', was based on the story of the 1954 Milan team and seems to typify the hysteria related to basketball in the state of Indiana.
Indiana's passion for basketball was observed and written about by basketball's inventor, [[James Naismith]]. In 1925, Naismith visited an Indiana basketball state finals game along with 15,000 screaming fans and later wrote, that while it was invented in [[Massachusetts]], "basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport." [[Hoosier]]s have a traditional love for basketball similar to the love for [[American football|football]] in [[Texas]], and [[Minnesota|Minnesotans']] love for [[ice hockey|hockey]]. It truly is one of the State's most cherished traditions.
== High School Hysteria ==
===One-Class Tradition===
Historically, each of the several hundred small towns of Indiana had its own small school system. Before consolidation of many of these rural school districts in the last half of the twentieth century (Milan itself is now a consolidated school whose enrollment is twice what it was in 1954), Indiana high schools had fewer students than those of most other States; basketball was a natural game for these schools since it only required five starters and a few reserves. Even one or two great basketball players could make a high school team a powerhouse, and nearly every Indiana town dreamt of such glory.
The [[Franklin Wonder Five]] was the first team to win the state championship in three consecutive years, from 1920-1922. This accomplishment would not be matched for over 7 decades. The team was led by [[Fuzzy Vandivier]].
Until Milan's Miracle in the 1950s, no school with an enrollment of less than 500 won another boys' State title under the all-comers format. As [[school]] consolidation became more common and as more [[rural]] residents migrated to cities making large high schools grow even larger, smaller high schools had only a mismatch to look forward to come [[tournament]] time, as success concentrated in Indiana's large [[Urban area|urban]] and [[suburban]] schools. Starting with the [[1997]]-[[1998]] season, Indiana established a controversial four-class system for its basketball championship, although many other sports remain single-class. The State's move to this new system has, to some extent, diminished the phenomenon and public opinion is widely split on the merits of "class basketball."
Aside from the "Milan Miracle," the story of [[Crispus Attucks High School]] ranks as one of the greatest in Indiana high school basketball tradition. In 1955, the year after Attucks had lost in the semistate final (state quarterfinals) to Milan's championship team, Attucks gained fame by winning the Indiana state championship, becoming the first all-black school in the nation to win a state title. Crispus Attucks repeated as champions in 1956, becoming the first Indiana high school team to complete a season undefeated. The Attucks teams of 1954 through 1956 were led by [[Oscar Robertson]]. Both stories, Milan and Crispus Attucks, are memorialized for their accomplishments and tradition at the [[Indiana State Museum]] as well as at the [[Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame]] in [[New Castle, Indiana]].
A highlight of the single-class tournament was the 1990 State Championship game, in which the paid attendance was over 40,000 fans. This phenomenal turnout of fans who witnessed [[Damon Bailey]]'s Bedford-North Lawrence Stars win the State Championship stands as the largest crowd ever to witness a high school basketball game.
After the 1997 season (when Bloomington North won the final single-class State Championship), the IHSAA controversially did away with the single-class system, effectively ending the run of single-class champions in Indiana. There are many in Indiana who lament this loss, and who feel that Hoosier Hysteria has been significantly lessened thereby.
=== High school gymnasiums ===
Perhaps one of the more telling signs of the passion and commitment to basketball at the high school level is the number and size of large basketball [[gym]]nasiums in the state. With considerable cost and effort, Indiana boasts nine of the ten largest high school gyms in the country[http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2004-02-25-ten-great-hoops-newcastle_x.htm], and a purported eighteen of the top twenty. Seventeen venues in Indiana today boast a capacity of over 6,000.[http://www.hoopshall.com/gyms/]
{{see also|Largest high school gyms in the United States}}
== College Hysteria ==
Hoosier Hysteria may have its roots firmly planted in the high school game, but the college tradition brings its own depth to Indiana's passion. In [[NCAA]] Division I basketball, Indiana's colleges and universities have a storied past. [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] rivals [[Indiana University (Bloomington)|Indiana University]] and [[Purdue University]] are the most notable, with national and conference championships to boast. Yet, even the more football-oriented [[University of Notre Dame]] and smaller schools such as [[Ball State University]], [[Butler University]], the [[University of Evansville]], [[Indiana State University]], and [[Valparaiso University]] add to the mix. In recent years, even the largely-commuter campus of [[IUPUI]] and the Division II [[University of Indianapolis]] and [[University of Southern Indiana]] have added their own successes to the legend of Indiana basketball. It is sometimes said that the terms "[[Final Four]]" and "[[March Madness]]" have grown out of the tradition of Hoosier Hysteria.
===Ball State Cardinals===
{{main|Ball State Cardinals men's basketball}}
One of Indiana's oldest basketball programs, the [[Ball State Cardinals]] have won several conference championships and earned a number of NCAA Tournament berths over the years, including:
*Seven [[Mid-American Conference]] Season Championships
*Seven Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament Championships (and subsequent NCAA Tournament appearances)
*[[Bonzi Wells]], a [[Muncie, Indiana]] native, was a four-year letterwinner at Ball State, finishing his career as the [[Mid-American Conference]]'s all-time leading scorer, and leading the NCAA in steals.
*Ball State's highest finish in the NCAA Tournament came in [[1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1990]], when they defeated [[Gary Payton]]'s [[Oregon State Beavers]] and Coach [[Denny Crum]]'s [[Louisville Cardinals men's basketball|Louisville Cardinals]] before falling to eventual champion [[UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball|UNLV]] by 2, 69-67.
===Butler Bulldogs===
{{main|Butler Bulldogs men's basketball}}
* Home to the legendary [[Hinkle Fieldhouse]], where [[Indiana High School Athletic Association]] Championships were held for many years (including Milan's [[1954]] championship), [[Butler University]] also is notable for its men's and women's basketball teams. The Bulldogs advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in the [[2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|2003]] and [[2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|2007]] seasons.
* In [[2006]], the Bulldogs won the 2006 [[NIT Season Tip-Off|Preseason NIT]], beating most notably Indiana and Notre Dame to reach the semifinals in New York City. Behind a strong performance from guard [[A.J. Graves]], the Bulldogs defeated Tennessee and Gonzaga at [[Madison Square Garden]]. [http://www.nit.org/history/nit-preseason-year-by-year.html]
===Evansville Purple Aces===
*The [[University of Evansville|Evansville Aces]] have won five national championships in the NCAA College Division (now known as [[Division II]]): [[1959]], [[1960]], [[1964]], [[1965]] (29-0 record), and [[1971]]. This ranks second all-time.
*After joining the NCAA's Division I in 1977, Evansville was a charter member of the [[Horizon League|Midwest Collegiate Conference]], now known as the Horizon League. The Aces won or shared the MCC regular season title in [[1982]], [[1987]], [[1989]], [[1992]], and [[1993]]. They also won the conference tournament title in 1982, 1992, and 1993.
*The Aces are now a member of the [[Missouri Valley Conference]], and won the [[1999]] regular season title.
*Legendary Aces coach [[Arad McCutchan]] was the first NCAA College Division coach selected to the [[Basketball Hall of Fame|Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame]][http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/mens/results/3744].
===Indiana Hoosiers===
{{Mainarticle|Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball}}
The most decorated of Indiana's collegiate basketball squads, the [[Indiana Hoosiers]] men's basketball team has several championships to their credit:
*Five NCAA National Championships ([[1940 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1940]], [[1953 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1953]], [[1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1976]], [[1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1981]], [[1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1987]]), placing them third most all-time
*Twenty Big Ten Championships (including four-in-a-row, from [[1973]] to [[1976]]), currently the second most all-time
*Also, Indiana completed the last perfect season in Division I men's college basketball, going 32-0 in the 1975-76 season under [[Bob Knight]].
The Hoosiers' five NCAA Championships are the third-most in history, trailing only [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]] (11) and [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] (7). Their eight trips to the [[Final Four]] ranks seventh on the all-time list. The Hoosiers have made 32 appearances in the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament]] (fifth-most in NCAA history). In those 32 appearances, Indiana has posted 52 victories, the sixth-most in NCAA history.
===Indiana State Sycamores===
*Led by the legendary French Lick standout [[Larry Bird]], [[Indiana State University|Indiana State]] was the runner-up in the [[1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1979 NCAA Tournament]]. They lost to [[Magic Johnson|Magic Johnson's]] Michigan State Spartans.
*[[Indiana State University|Indiana State]] was also the runner-up in the 1968 NCAA College Division championship game.
*[[Indiana State University|Indiana State]] won the [[1950]] [[NAIA]] championship game.
**Eight team players played under Head Coach John Longfellow at the United States' Gold Medal Basketball team at the [[1951]] [[Pan-American Games]].
*[[Indiana State University|Indiana State]] was the runner-up in the [[1946]] and [[1948]] NAIA championship games. The 1948 team was coached by the legendary [[John Wooden]]; it is the only Championship game loss in Coach Wooden's coaching career.
**In [[1947]], Wooden's basketball team won the conference title and received an invitation to the NAIB National Tournament in Kansas City. Wooden refused the invitation citing the NAIB's policy banning African American players. A member on the Indiana State Sycamores' team was Clarence Walker, an African-American athlete from East Chicago, Indiana. In 1948 the NAIB changed this policy and Wooden guided his team to the NAIB final, losing to Louisville. That year, Walker became the first African-American to play in any post-season intercollegiate basketball tournament.
*[[Indiana State University|Indiana State]] finished third in 1953 and fourth in the 1949 NAIA tourney.
===Notre Dame Fighting Irish===
*Like Purdue, the 1936 Men's Irish Basketball team won the Helms Foundation National Championship.
*The Irish women won their first National Championship (over Purdue) in [[2001 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament|2001]].
===Purdue Boilermakers===
{{main|Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball}}
With their only National Championship coming in the days before the modern NCAA Tournament, the [[Purdue Boilermakers]] have a strong basketball history:
*National Championship in [[1932]] (sponsored by the [[Helms Athletic Foundation]], seven years before the NCAA sponsored a basketball championship)
*One [[National Invitation Tournament|NIT]] Championship ([[1974 National Invitation Tournament|1974]]); the first for the [[Big Ten Conference]] and two Runner-up finishes ([[1979 National Invitation Tournament|1979]], [[1982 National Invitation Tournament|1982]])
*Twenty-One Big Ten Championships (including a "Three-Pete" - a play on their mascot - from [[1994]] to [[1996]])
**Currently the most all-time
**Currently third all-time in [[Big Ten Conference]] victories with 822.
*The women Boilermakers have one National Championship ([[1999 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament|1999]]), one National Runner-up ([[2001 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament|2001]]), seven Big Ten Championships, and have won six of the thirteen women's [[Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Tournament|Big Ten Tournaments]].
===USI Screaming Eagles===
*The [[University of Southern Indiana|USI Screaming Eagles]], led by [[Bruce Pearl]], won the [[1995]] [[NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship|Division II National Championship]] and were runners-up in [[1994]] and [[2004]].
===Valparaiso Crusaders===
{{main|Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball}}
*Nine [[Summit League]] regular season championships.
*Eight Summit League tournament championships.
*Memorable run in the [[1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1998 NCAA Tournament]] following [[The Shot (Valparaiso University)|The Shot]] by [[Bryce Drew]].
== National Hysteria ==
===Big Ten Tournament===
At the conclusion of the regular Big Ten season, a tournament is held to determine the conference winner, who receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Indianapolis has played host for the men's tournament on three occasions to date. Indianapolis has hosted all but one of the [[Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Tournament|women's tournaments]] since its inception in 1995. Beginning in 2008, the [[Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament]] will be held exclusively at Indianapolis' [[Conseco Fieldhouse]].
===Final Four===
[[Indianapolis, Indiana]], often referred to as the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World" has hosted a number of collegiate basketball events. Aside from the multitude of regional games held during the NCAA tournament, Indianapolis has hosted five men's NCAA [[Final Four]]s (1980, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2006) and one women's (2005). Indianapolis is scheduled to host the men's 2010 Final Four as well as the women's in 2011. Previous events were held in the [[Conseco Fieldhouse]] or the [[RCA Dome]], but given the new stadium being built for the [[Indianapolis Colts]], [[Lucas Oil Stadium]] will host future events. When the NCAA Headquarters relocated to Indianapolis, it was stated that Indianapolis would then host the men's Final Four once every five years.
===World Championships===
{{main|2002 FIBA World Championship}}
In [[2002]], Indianapolis hosted the [[FIBA World Championship]], an event that takes place on even years opposite the [[Olympic Games]]. Since inaugural event in [[1950]], Indianapolis is the only city in the [[United States]] to have hosted the event.
== Homegrown Hysteria ==
Here follows a list of notable Indiana natives who have achieved success in basketball:
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image: Wooden_program.jpg|right|thumb|John Wooden]] -->
{|
|valign=top|
*[[Steve Alford]]
*[[Damon Bailey]]
*[[Kent Benson]]
*[[Larry Bird]]
*[[Don Buse]]
*[[Calbert Cheaney]]
*[[Rick Fox]]
*[[Eric Gordon]]
*[[Alan Henderson]]
*[[Jared Jeffries]]
*[[Billy Keller]]
*[[Shawn Kemp]]
*[[Arad McCutchan]]
*[[Eric Montross]]
|valign=top|
|valign=top|
*[[Branch McCracken]]
*[[George McGinnis]]
*[[Brad Miller (basketball player)|Brad Miller]]
*[[Rick Mount]]
*[[Ron Bonham]]
*[[Bobby Plump]]
*[[Zach Randolph]]
*[[Glenn Robinson]]
*[[Scott Skiles]]
*[[Chuck Taylor]]
*[[Chris Thomas (basketball)|Chris Thomas]]
*[[Fuzzy Vandivier]]
*[[Bonzi Wells]]
*[[Randy Wittman]]
*[[John Wooden]]
|valign=top|
|}
Here follows a list of those who gained basketball fame in Indiana's tradition:
{|
|valign=top|
*[[Quinn Buckner]]
*[[Brian Cardinal]]
*[[Mike Conley, Jr.]]
*[[Mark Cuban]]
*[[Gene Keady]]
*[[Bob Knight]]
*[[Sean May]]
|valign=top|
|valign=top|
*[[Reggie Miller]]
*[[Greg Oden]]
*[[Oscar Robertson]]
*[[Jerry Sloan]]
*[[Keith Smart]]
*[[Isiah Thomas]]
|valign=top|
|}
== See also ==
*[[Blue Chips]] - a [[1994]] basketball movie telling the tale of a by-the-books coach who turns to "friends of the program" to secure the talents of incoming freshman players. Indiana Hoosier [[Matt Nover]] co-stars alongside NBA stars [[Shaquille O'Neal]], [[Anfernee Hardaway]], and cameos by [[Bob Knight]], [[Dick Vitale]], and [[Larry Bird]]. The game segments were filmed in [[Frankfort, Indiana]].
*[[Indiana High School Boys Basketball Champions]]
*[[Indiana "Mr. Basketball" award]]
==External links==
*[http://www.hoopshall.com/inductees/mrbasketball.html Indiana's Mr. Basketball]
*[http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2004-02-25-ten-great-hoops-newcastle_x.htm USA Today Article on New Castle Fieldhouse]
*[http://www.ihsaa.org/main.shtm Indiana High School Athletic Association]
*[http://www.hoosierhysteria.org A synopsis of the State Championship tournament brackets for each year 1911-1997]
[[Category:Basketball in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports in Indiana]]
[[Category:High school sports in the United States]]
[[Category:Intercollegiate athletics in the United States]]
[[Category:College basketball]]
[[Category:Sports culture]]