Indiana vs. Syracuse: 1987 National Championship | FULL GAME

[@a.k.4486]

My first ever NCAA game that I watched back in '87. Watched it 3-4 months after on my VCR back in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. Some friends told me about it before, about Derrick Coleman etc. I had to wait for my sister to get back from the States with the recording. It was even better than what I imagined. After all these years, same feeling!!!

[@deanofdisplacement]

Mine too! My 1st and last.......... great game!

[@boogermon3057]

One if not thee best coaches ever. RIP Bob.

[@GisherJohn24]

Amen to that. He's probably being ornery in heaven too!

[@r3tr0actiongamer24]

Best? Nope

[@galvatronfletch]

@@r3tr0actiongamer24 He coached 1 NBA all-star, Isiah Thomas, his entire career. Yet he accomplished what he did. Dean Smith and Coach K had scores of all-stars at their disposal. They were better recruiters than Knight, but as an X's and O's coach, he may have no equal.

[@Energyfl00d]

@@galvatronfletchI believe what hurt Knight in mid to late 90s recruiting was not moving onto those longer shorts that had taken off in fashion. Those things are important to kids.

[@davidbarancyk565]

I was recovering from painful surgery as I was watching this game. After Smart hit that shot, the pain went away … Go Hoosiers …

[@Majesticon]

Steve Alford (and Rick Pitino/Billy Donovan) changed the way we play basketball. More than the pros, in 1987, college took the 3-point line and made it an integral part of offenses and we never looked back

[@broaddusmarines]

Don’t forget Jerry Tarkanian.

[@joerussell838]

I'd say that's incorrect. They regular season tested the 3pt line in the ACC a year prior. Had they implemented it in the 70's or 60's we'd be just a talking different names. They were just some of the better shooters in 87 that's all. And nobody in the history of the game utilized the 3pt shot like loyola Marymount 87-92

[@bradlewis6514]

​@@joerussell838They actually tested the three point line in the ACC during the 1982-83 regular season of which NC State completely used it to their advantage! They used the experimental arc so much that season it enhanced their perimeter game during their magical NCAA tournament run

[@TomBartlett-q7c]

Knight was always a master at keeping time outs in his pocket

[@broaddusmarines]

“If Syracuse could make free throws’ they’d be national champions.” - Steve Alford in 1999. It’s just that simple.

[@alexcarl3050]

Exactly!

[@bradlewis6514]

Alford is very much spot on with his "in hindsight" assessment! It had been Syracuse's Achilles throughout that season! And the most hurtful was in missing 3 of their last 4 during the final minute and change, leaving the door wide open for Smart's go ahead jumper! But it hasn't been just Syracuse where FT shooting proved costly! It also provided the "snakebit" to '83 Houston, '89 Seton Hall, '03 Kansas and '08 Memphis! It's a very fine line between winning and losing a national championship

[@necrocleric13]

If IU could rebound, they'd still be champions even if Syracuse could hit free throws.

[@goodtimes6723]

Syracuse was my favorite college team because they would alley oop it a lot. Douglas would just lob it up to his teammates. So much fun to watch. Great team

[@matt5736]

did anyone here watch the game live

[@j.j.4228]

I was 16 and watched it at IU campus. The screaming in the apt complex was insane. After the game all the students rushed the fountain. Crazy.

[@bradlewis6514]

Yes; I was 15 in my freshman year of HS! Like '83 Houston before them and '89 Seton Hall (in the OT) and 2008 Memphis after them, Syracuse's poor FT shooting, coupled with Alford's three point performance, cost the Orange in the end! Everybody can debate and analyze all they want, but in this game the key analysis was Syracuse's inability to put the game away at the stripe! I also get tired of the emphasis put on Smart's game winning jumpshot! Yes it won the game on the scoreboard, but if Syracuse hits at the line down the stretch, he's not in that position! He also wouldn't have had that opportunity if Alford hadn't kept Indiana in it

[@andrebennett4971]

Watched it live in Canada

[@jackdull5699]

Watched the game at my house in Illinois. I was a senior in high school then. It was a great finals game.

[@Tomahwk7]

I was 15 and watched it live on TV and while a freak snow storm was happening outside my house in Indiana. After the game my brother, myself, and 2 mutual friends went outside and had an epic snowball fight. A great night to be a Hoosier!

[@davidburkholder7360]

Keith Smart was an incredible leaper. The only other person that I can think of that goes from full sprint to instant controlled vertical is Jordan. Smart never went too much further than a little in NBA but at college he had a wicked vetical that was on the level of Jordan. Very interesting.

[@inpasc]

Len Bias

[@joerussell838]

I can think of a dozen players from Dr. J to David Thompson, so on. Smart was a great athlete but peaked in college.

[@davidburkholder7360]

@@joerussell838 Yeah...there are others I agree. My main point is he had a wicked controlled vertical in college and on that point was very good. Definitely peaked at that time.

[@joerussell838]

@@davidburkholder7360 I really feel (having watched this game 3-4 times) Syracuse had the better talent, Indiana executed better as a team. My father played @ Niagra in the late 60's & I @ Oakland (Mi) in the late 90's. Bobby knight was always our favorite college coach (coaching style). Not that we're Indiana fans.

[@dealingthereal6922]

@@joerussell838Syracuse definitely was more loaded with talent. Rony Seikaly, Derrick Coleman and Sherman Douglas all turned out to be solid NBA players. Not one player in this IU team made more than a splash 💦 in the NBA. This game was won by the better coach, more than by the better team.

[@dareal05]

This game still haunts me, and how the 3 seconds ticked off from when Smart hit the shot to the timeout at 0.1.

[@r3tr0actiongamer24]

Get over it

[@schloo]

@@r3tr0actiongamer24 He doesn't have to. He's not Jim Boeheim or Derrick Coleman.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I missed this game because I was making $140 on a rush typing job. Seems I was the only business open.

[@civrev]

I watched this game live in Baldwinsville, NY when I was eight years old. For whatever reason this loss broke my heart and I actually ran to my bedroom and cried about it 😂 Kind of silly now that I think about it, but I was a young kid that loved the Syracuse Orangemen.

[@schloo]

I was in 10th grade and still remember this. After watching Derrick miss, I never missed a free throw again.

[@terryjohnson4807]

Was at the Superdome in the cheap seats with my brother for the game! Back when the ticket price was $20 for all three games!!!

[@jonathan_tong93]

Philippine Airdate: March 31, 1987 TV Network: RPN-9 Commentators: Pinggoy Pengson and Dr. J Andy Jao Courtside Reporter: Cathy Veloso-Santillan ©1987 Radio Philippines Network, Inc. and NCAA Multimedia

[@jaybirdjaybird9410]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="295">4:55</a>. Garrett dunk back was nasty. Had a long journey but cashed NBA checks eventually. Timberwolves.

[@amypeterson4615]

You know how players and referees kind of go berserk at the very end of a tight game? Apparently, our videographer lost his/her mind their too. It was Syracuse 72 Indiana 70 with :38 left and a timeout. After the film was edited to remove the commercial break, it then showed Syracuse 73 Indiana 72 with :30 left. The most exciting time of the $%^& game and they lose 8 seconds and 3 points being scored. JC.

[@jacobadams5924]

That just adds more madness to the madness....

[@jacobadams5924]

I thought this game was missing at least 3 scores!!

[@chrismorfas7515]

Right!

[@andywannemacher]

@Emma Rukavena smart hit a pull up 8 footer.

[@awthirdrock]

i woke up my first daughter infant sleeping during the winning basket, mom and mother in law chastized me. Then father in law commented on the victory while reading the paper at morning breakfast. I invented the facepalm. 🤦‍♂

[@Andyman248]

Let's go Hoosiers

[@theguitar2605]

I watched it live. But, only now, 33 years later, do I realize IU played badly and still won.

[@michaeld5]

Certainly after dismantling the #1 team in the nation, UNLV, two nights prior, this game against Syracuse was rather poorly played by IU, I would agree.

[@chrismorfas7515]

Syracuse under Boeheim kinda makes you play bad.

[@dealingthereal6922]

When you are a better coached team, you can under perform as a team and still win. I agree that IU didn’t play well to the extent that they played a much better game against UNLV.

[@12BITSOUL]

My homie from Baton Touge- McKinley High- Keith Smart

[@sunshine-np5mr]

Thanks!

[@rpm773]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="69">1:09</a>:59 - The General

[@tarusprentice7782]

Anybody know where Keith Smart is now? I hope he's coaching

[@bradlewis6514]

He is actually today an assistant coach for Eric Musselman at Arkansas

[@dannycorsaro546]

I love that blonde cheerleader 😝

[@Jiltedin2007]

The Smart Shot.

[@Majesticon]

the clock didn't stop after any made baskets in 1987, not in college anyway! Not even at the end of the game! Different rules then.. basketball is a game where they are always tweaking the rules to big results!

[@ajk]

About this......am I the only one that always remembered this as it actually ENDING on the shot vs. 1 second being left on? To my memory it did.

[@adrianwalsh6053]

Hey Indiana 👋

[@triciariddle1418]

Hi!

[@fritzruffin8054]

Woodson gonna bring us back to this ?????

[@NolanCito]

Full circle … New Orleans in ‘87 then redemption in 2003

[@DC4Life77]

I'm here because of the Curtbone and Sherman Douglas interview

[@eastman7037]

I like the history games... Please more

[@dustylee4879]

Bobby Knight had severe mental issues.

[@dealingthereal6922]

@@dustylee4879based on the what do you make this claim?

[@acornsucks2111]

Cuse was a much better team. They got out coached and made bad decisions, dumber players. And Coleman choked.

[@tarusprentice7782]

'Cuse was loaded bro

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="185">3:05</a> Separated at birth: Chris Noth and Rony Seikaly

[@djrock329]

My feelings still hurt 😔

[@awthirdrock]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="68">1:08</a>:33 the winning shot!

[@SeanPowell-p4v]

Remember when Derrick Coleman got offered that ridiculous rookie NBA contract of like 70 million over ten years and he turned them down? Arrogance.

[@Majesticon]

also, wow... syracuse had a timeout and didn't call it.. smh..

[@bernieudo4399]

Compare to Georgetown v. Nova in '85 when Hoyas tried everything they could to stop the clock & win. (unwanted last TO; flagarent foul; batting ball out of bounds)

[@carolinewall3678]

@Emma Rukavena clock should have stopped regardless

[@roberthill799]

Why should the clock have stopped?

[@jimmassa66]

That clock should have stopped when the ball went through the basket SU should have had 4 sec left???

[@necrocleric13]

It wouldn't have matted, Keith Smart stole the inbound pass. Even if there were 3 seconds, Syracuse wouldn't have made it down the court under a full press and would've been stuck trying a shot from beyond mid court.

[@thebillscast90]

Back then, you had to call a timeout to stop the clock after a ball went in, and they called it too late.

[@geekynerd7346]

Syracuse did call time out with three seconds left

[@thebillscast90]

@@geekynerd7346 no they didn't dude, i'm not even an indiana or syracuse fan, plus even if he did, in what universe is Syracuse making a half court shot to win the title, oh yeah that's right, NONE

[@issandre]

@@thebillscast90 Yeah cause halfcourt shots or crazy buzzer beaters definitely dont happen all the time in march madness 😅 and it still would of been a much better chance than the full court pass they had to throw since there was less time

[@markangelou9368]

Legend

[@davidfisher462]

Syracuse should've won this game

[@donallen5798]

syr should won this game easy sad hate bobby knight

[@sjiii8595]

Facts..'Cuse had this game in the bag & got robbed in the end.

[@bernieudo4399]

No. Orangemen worst enemy. Champions don't miss FTs. Compare to Nova in '85. Made (2) & missed (2) in last 3:00. Shot 79% from field so could afford to miss (2). Still over 75%. Orangemen no room for error. That's why you hit those FTs.

[@superomegamkiii2313]

@Emma Rukavena Exactly, some people just refuse to accept defeat no matter how obvious it is. Just because you lead for most of the game doesn't entitle you to a victory. The team who leads when that clock reads 00:00 is the winner.

[@BAYAREA-kd1ig]

Coulda shoulda woulda.

[@roberthill799]

😢