Indiana is now on the outside looking in at the NCAA tournament, an event that will include games played in Assembly Hall.
After five straight losses to end the regular season, the IU men’s basketball program took major hits to their tournament resume as they finished with a losing Big Ten record for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
Their track record causes Hoosier spectators to question if there is any hope left for them to earn an NCAA tournament bid.
Even Assembly Hall’s public address announcer, Chuck Crabb, who’s been around the program for 51 years, lacks hope.
“It’s been tough,” Crabb said. “I’ve never seen us lose this many games in one year except that first year after the Sampson Crean transition.”
Crabb has been the voice of Assembly Hall since 1977, so he knows first hand what a successful Indiana basketball program looks like.
Assembly Hall’s public address announcer, Chuck Crabb, speaks of the high expectations Hoosier fans have of their basketball program.
“It seems unfortunately like every turn in the road this year we’ve hit a bump, a log, a pothole, a barrier, whatever it be,” Crabb said. “It’s kind of been one step forward two steps back.”
The Hoosiers have failed to make it into the NCAA tournament for four consecutive seasons. Therefore, every student on IU’s campus has yet to see the cream and crimson on their bracket.
With Indiana as the tournament host, getting a bid in this year’s playoffs would be special for both Hoosier fans and the city of Bloomington. Jackson Yeary, an IU junior and Men’s Basketball beat writer for the Hoosier Network, expressed his concern.
“I think it’s disheartening for a lot of hoosier fans to potentially be in a situation where the whole tournament’s in your home state, in your backyard, and you might not even be in it,” Yeary said.
Crabb discusses what needs to happen for IU to secure a tournament bid.
Despite his doubts, Yeary is itching to see the Hoosiers in the big dance as he believes it would benefit the program and help restore excitement surrounding IU basketball.
“The energy and buzz around the program for the last couple years has been kind of dead,” Yeary said. “It goes a long way on Selection Sunday when you see the bracket being revealed and then you see Indiana’s logo right there on a spot in the bracket. I think that just gives everyone a sense of excitement again.”
After their loss against No. 23 Purdue last night, IU sits at a 7-12 conference record going into the Big Ten Tournament. Tournament play begins Wednesday, March 10.
