Happened to see parts of that game on the internet. Was the kick-off game for ISU that year. ISU ended up winning 60-50 in a game much closer than the score would indicate. Bird was an amazing college basketball player and a lot of fun to watch.
Purdue's team included Joe Barry Carroll & Jerry Sichling. They ended up tied for 1st in the BT conference with MSU & Iowa. MSU had Magic but finished in a 3 way tie with Purdue & Iowa at 13-5. MSU was rated 3rd nationally, Iowa 15th & Purdue 20th, but Purdue was left out of the 40 team ncaa tourney. It was Lee Rose' 1st year there. Famously, IU beat them 53-52 in the NIT final in MSG.
That Iowa team had Ronnie Lester but no other names that would resonate today.
MSU was only a 2 seed in the tourney. ISU was a 1 seed, along with ND, North Carolina & UCLA.
ISU ended up 33-1 when they lost to MSU, but what I didn't remember that they had a lot of close calls that year:
--74-70 at Evansville
--74-70 at Illinois St
--73-69 v. NM State
--91-89 at NM State
--69-68 at SIU
--73-71 over 5 seed Arkansas
--76-74 over 6 seed DePaul
Then lost 64-75 v. MSU. For the youngens out there ISU's 2nd best player was Carl Nix, a scoring off guard, while MSU also had Greg Kelser, a very good BT basketball forward, and a young Jay Vincent at center.
In my life to that point, it was one of the 3 most memorable national college games ever, the other two being Houston-UCLA in the Astrodome & IU-Michigan in 1976.
In 1979-80 IU is preseason #1 with Woodson, Butch Carter, Tolbert, Turner and freshman I. Thomas. In 1980-81 we win the NC with I Thomas, Wittman, Kitchell, Tolbert, Turner & Jim Thomas.
Quite an era for Indiana basketball generally, and IU basketball in particular.
The UCLA versus Houston game in the Astrodome wasn’t an NCAA tournament game, but they did play against each other during the both 1967 and 1968 Final Four. UCLA won both, while Houston won the regular season game in the Astrodome.Happened to see parts of that game on the internet. Was the kick-off game for ISU that year. ISU ended up winning 60-50 in a game much closer than the score would indicate. Bird was an amazing college basketball player and a lot of fun to watch.
Purdue's team included Joe Barry Carroll & Jerry Sichling. They ended up tied for 1st in the BT conference with MSU & Iowa. MSU had Magic but finished in a 3 way tie with Purdue & Iowa at 13-5. MSU was rated 3rd nationally, Iowa 15th & Purdue 20th, but Purdue was left out of the 40 team ncaa tourney. It was Lee Rose' 1st year there. Famously, IU beat them 53-52 in the NIT final in MSG.
That Iowa team had Ronnie Lester but no other names that would resonate today.
MSU was only a 2 seed in the tourney. ISU was a 1 seed, along with ND, North Carolina & UCLA.
ISU ended up 33-1 when they lost to MSU, but what I didn't remember that they had a lot of close calls that year:
--74-70 at Evansville
--74-70 at Illinois St
--73-69 v. NM State
--91-89 at NM State
--69-68 at SIU
--73-71 over 5 seed Arkansas
--76-74 over 6 seed DePaul
Then lost 64-75 v. MSU. For the youngens out there ISU's 2nd best player was Carl Nix, a scoring off guard, while MSU also had Greg Kelser, a very good BT basketball forward, and a young Jay Vincent at center.
In my life to that point, it was one of the 3 most memorable national college games ever, the other two being Houston-UCLA in the Astrodome & IU-Michigan in 1976.
In 1979-80 IU is preseason #1 with Woodson, Butch Carter, Tolbert, Turner and freshman I. Thomas. In 1980-81 we win the NC with I Thomas, Wittman, Kitchell, Tolbert, Turner & Jim Thomas.
Quite an era for Indiana basketball generally, and IU basketball in particular.
The UCLA versus Houston game in the Astrodome wasn’t an NCAA tournament game, but they did play against each other during the both 1967 and 1968 Final Four. UCLA won both, while Houston won the regular season game in the Astrodome.Happened to see parts of that game on the internet. Was the kick-off game for ISU that year. ISU ended up winning 60-50 in a game much closer than the score would indicate. Bird was an amazing college basketball player and a lot of fun to watch.
Purdue's team included Joe Barry Carroll & Jerry Sichling. They ended up tied for 1st in the BT conference with MSU & Iowa. MSU had Magic but finished in a 3 way tie with Purdue & Iowa at 13-5. MSU was rated 3rd nationally, Iowa 15th & Purdue 20th, but Purdue was left out of the 40 team ncaa tourney. It was Lee Rose' 1st year there. Famously, IU beat them 53-52 in the NIT final in MSG.
That Iowa team had Ronnie Lester but no other names that would resonate today.
MSU was only a 2 seed in the tourney. ISU was a 1 seed, along with ND, North Carolina & UCLA.
ISU ended up 33-1 when they lost to MSU, but what I didn't remember that they had a lot of close calls that year:
--74-70 at Evansville
--74-70 at Illinois St
--73-69 v. NM State
--91-89 at NM State
--69-68 at SIU
--73-71 over 5 seed Arkansas
--76-74 over 6 seed DePaul
Then lost 64-75 v. MSU. For the youngens out there ISU's 2nd best player was Carl Nix, a scoring off guard, while MSU also had Greg Kelser, a very good BT basketball forward, and a young Jay Vincent at center.
In my life to that point, it was one of the 3 most memorable national college games ever, the other two being Houston-UCLA in the Astrodome & IU-Michigan in 1976.
In 1979-80 IU is preseason #1 with Woodson, Butch Carter, Tolbert, Turner and freshman I. Thomas. In 1980-81 we win the NC with I Thomas, Wittman, Kitchell, Tolbert, Turner & Jim Thomas.
Quite an era for Indiana basketball generally, and IU basketball in particular.
Yes, the Astrodome game was a classic, but UCLA killed them in the tourney. Not too many people today remember Elvin Hayes, but his match-ups with KAJ (Lew Alcinder) were big-time.
I rooted against UCLA in those days but in the Alcinder & Walton years they were invincible. I didn't 'follow' Purdue then, but did see enough of Mount to know he was a great player. And Gilliam & Keller were damn good as well. But they had no shot v. UCLA.
--91-89 at NM State
I remember watching a lot of ISU games that year, and particularly this one, since it looked like their undefeated season was toast.
Until this forced OT...
@mushroomgod I remember Carl Nix on that team. I don't remember Kelser for MSU though, but he was a very good sports commentator.
While I regarded God as a tyrant I thought my sin a trifle; But when I knew Him to be my Father, then I mourned that I could ever have kicked against Him. When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so, and sought my good.” C. H. Spurgeon
@mushroomgod I remember Carl Nix on that team. I don't remember Kelser for MSU though, but he was a very good sports commentator.
Kelser was about 6'7", fairly thin, but strong & very quick.