Indiana at Michigan State - 3/5/1986

The Hoosiers went into an early March game at Jenison Field House with a chance to keep pace in the Big Ten title race -- and possibly knock the Spartans out of that same race. This was the Scott Skiles Michigan State team that would end up getting to the Sweet 16 -- but in this one, they were no match for an IU team that was fully in rhythm and looking like good value for the postseason.
Unfortunately this was also IU's last win of the 1985-86 season --- and the last win of the famous (or infamous) "Season on the Brink".

[@shuffle877]

Skiles may have been a tad cocky, but man, he could play!

[@christopherhazel2837]

1982 State tournament MVP, State Champion with 39 points in title game and Indiana All-Star

[@cavaricci58]

the high water mark of the season on the brink season. Feinstein's description of the team flying home...they knew they could beat Michigan....and do well in the tournament...

[@markgriffin5889]

"Season on the Brink" brought me here. My second time reading it. Just finished this MSU chapter a few days ago I bought the book when it first came out and managed to keep it ever since. Not sure I could have played for Knight.

[@Scottdrruryiphone]

That book is etched on me. I relish it.

[@mikewynne7131]

I was there. I was a student at MSU then. Indiana just flat outplayed MSU in that game.

[@tperk]

Jenison Fieldhouse!

[@erichall4548]

Season on the brink was such a great read...

[@kingtyomama6564]

When you look at the production of Scott Skiles in this game versus Stew Robinson you see something glaring. Bobby Knight was no recruiting genius. Can you imagine a backcourt of Steve Alford and Scott Skiles for 3 years?

[@shawnyoung8752]

No. Alford was the least talented guy to build a team around. Yet he was a guy who went from wing to baseline to post getting picks the whole way. Then knocks down a 15 ft jump shot. Put Skiles on lakers instead of Magic. I think he would do just fine.

[@paulsonj72]

Supposedly Skiles had some off floor issues in high school that Knight decided he couldn’t ignore. And he did get into some trouble at Michigan St.

[@uncklebuckle6859]

One narrative that I recall is that Skiles had interest in IU but Knight declined (presumably because Skiles was rebellious); Knight then encouraged Heathcote to recruit Skiles.

[@joseyeastwood]

Scott Skiles was not 6'4 🤣

[@beedub93]

I knew they didn’t stack shit that high in Plymouth, IN

[@mikewynne7131]

6’1 tops. Never heard him listed as 6’4”. I was at MSU at that time and went to all of the home games.

[@Scottdrruryiphone]

No three-point lines. So odd.

[@paulsonj72]

Last year without the three pointer.

[@christopherhazel2837]

Alford would probably be IU’s all-time leading scorer if he had it for more than just his senior year

[@damienkirksey7026]

​@@paulsonj72You forgot Scott Skiles

[@donshults7772]

Notice to all freshman dreaming of NBA riches and foolishly listening to the parasites whispering false promises to you in hopes of getting their slice of your cash... Watch closely the play of Ricky Calloway and then check his NBA tenure. Likewise, watch how effortlessly Alford can score and ask how long his stay was. Yet, nobody can remove Alfords championships

[@jasonwong4811]

I mean they both won championships the next year. It wasn't like Alford was a star in the NBA either so what's your point

[@donshults7772]

@@jasonwong4811 my point is that a player can be great in college (as Alford was) and not be capable of playing significant, impactful minutes in the NBA. The college stars will still get paid, but the odds of them winning anything is near zero in the NBA. Better to stay in college and build equity and have a better shot at winning

[@jasonwong4811]

@@donshults7772 The minimum salary in the NBA is one million dollars today. Even the most lucrative NIL deals are half of that. Sure winning a national championship is nice but no one should turn down that kind of money. Equity is cool and all of that, but it doesn't help you reach your maximum earning potential like an NBA contract.

[@donshults7772]

@@jasonwong4811 you're not understanding my point. The NBA continues to draft children who are not ready, either physically or mentally, to play in the NBA. When they draft these 19 year old children and dump 20 million in their laps, it becomes a wasted investment. The player has too much pressure and too much money to develop and learn. He's now playing 3 times the number of games at a much higher level than ever before. It's too much for most. To get a better level of play in the NBA, the NCAA should allow the kids to get drafted and paid a salary of say 120 to 150k and have them either stay in school or go to a development league until the player shows he's both ready to play 82 games and handle his money.

[@jasonwong4811]

@@donshults7772 If you offered anyone a chance to make 20 million dollars even with a high chance of failure, or make 120K to 150K a year with a better chance of success, everyone will choose the 20 million. The upside is too great. Even if a player wants to go the NCAA route, your idea is in fantasy land. The whole point of the NCAA is amateurism. It took almost fifty years to get NIL done, they are never going to allow players to get paid over the table. Plus have you seen college and NBA training facilities? They are these hundreds of millions of dollar facilities that aim to get you ready to play 82 games. Even players like Isiah Thomas, who by most standards is too small for the NBA, held his own for several years.

[@erichall4548]

Piedmont Airlines...the up and coming airline... ummm nope lol