Indiana
The Hoosiers, one of the most acclaimed programs in the history of college basketball, fell on tough times a season ago. Indiana, playing in the rugged Big Ten Conference, went 12-15 overall, including a 7-12 record in league competition.
However, I think that the Hoosiers will trend in a much more positive direction during 2021-22. Most importantly, the team has a new boss in Mike Woodson, who previously served as an NBA head coach.
Syracuse basketball will welcome Indiana to town on Tuesday, Nov. 30, as part of the 2021 ACC-Big Ten Challenge. The Orange’s first foe in this event after joining the Atlantic Coast Conference from the Big East Conference was, in fact, Indiana.
The ‘Cuse dispatched of the Hoosiers, 69-52, back in December of 2013, although Syracuse basketball is a sub-par 3-5 overall in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
In the event, the ‘Cuse has taken care of Indiana, Ohio State and Maryland. On the flip side, Syracuse basketball has fallen to Michigan, Wisconsin twice, Iowa and, most recently, on the road to Rutgers.
All-time, the Orange is an impressive 5-1 versus Indiana. Those victories include when the ‘Cuse, as a No. 4 seed, upset No. 1 seed Indiana in the Sweet 16 of the 2013 Big Dance. Syracuse basketball would eventually advance to the Final Four in that NCAA tourney.
Despite its success against the Hoosiers over the years in their short series together, the majority of Syracuse basketball fans will never forget the heartache of Indiana besting the Orange in the waning seconds of the 1987 March Madness championship game to secure a national title.
I recognize that, in recent campaigns, both Syracuse basketball and the Hoosiers haven’t necessarily resided at the top of their respective conferences.
But Indiana and the Orange remain huge brands in college basketball, and they’re each in the top-10 all-time as it pertains to programs with the most wins ever.
The ‘Cuse has a national championship. Indiana has multiple NCAA titles. So for me, this is an enticing match-up.
I’m hopeful that the Orange can dismantle the Hoosiers later this year, so that Syracuse basketball can inch its way closer back to .500 in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.