(Photo courtesy of IU Athletics)

I remember stepping foot onto the Indiana University campus for the first time. After realizing IU provided everything I could dream of and more, the university shot up to number one on my list of desired colleges. As I moved through the McNutt dormitory, where I was staying with a friend, talk in the hallway was fixated on the upcoming basketball game. Tickets were hard to come by and people were buying, selling, trading, and doing whatever it took to see Eric Gordon and DJ White lead the Hoosiers under the direction of Kelvin Sampson.

The next day, I awoke on a dorm room floor and strode into the hallway. I noticed a grim undertone had taken over the McNutt floor that was filled with so much energy the night before. Soon after, I was informed of the allegations against Kelvin Sampson and spent the next few hours coming to terms with my impending doom. Not only would I be attending IU with the basketball team under a cloud of NCAA violations and possibly with a new coach, but I had experienced one of the worst days in Hoosier history during my first trip to Bloomington.

I remember covering my first basketball game in Assembly Hall. As anyone can attest, the first time stepping onto that hallowed ground is special. Then I watched as the Hoosiers struggled in every facet of the game for an entire year. It was hard to believe the Indiana Hoosiers, kings of fundamentals and smart play, could not shoot 40 percent from the free throw line.

I watched a skinny freshman named Verdell Jones III put up shot after shot, trying to keep his team in every game to no avail. Those were the days when endless hope surrounded Tom Pritchard and Matty “Ice” Roth became a fan favorite for making the three point line his personal office. There were mixed feelings by students for a basketball team that finished last in the Big Ten. IU put together a 6-25 season including a 1-17 mark in conference play. Some fans sympathized while others were enraged, but hope lived on.

I remember thinking everything would be different in year two of the rebuilding project. Bloomington native, Jordan Hulls, arrived along with lofty expectations for transfer Jeremiah Rivers. Rivers never became the player fans expected. A freshman named Christian Watford was relied on heavily and showed he would be a force in the Hoosier attack.

Unfortunately, IU was not close. The team relied on Verdell Jones III for an absurd amount of scoring which led to him heaving up shots that had no chance. A glimmer of light appeared in Maurice Creek, who dropped 31 points against Kentucky, but his season was ended by a knee injury. The Hoosiers were building chemistry which was only enough for a ninth place finish in the Big Ten. An overall record of 10-21 left fans sulking and looking forward to the days when IU would return to prominence.

I remember thinking the NIT was a legitimate goal for year three. Crean had two years to implement his system and convince players to believe. Jordan Hulls evolved into a leader and Watford the most talented player. Freshman Victor Oladipo made a huge impression with his physical gifts and million dollar smile.

After a 6-0 start in the regular season, hopes for a tournament birth were alive. The schedule turned to conference play and the Hoosiers simply could not keep up with a stacked Big Ten. Pritchard regressed leaving IU with an even bigger hole in the post. A 12-20 record was hard for fans to swallow. A last place finish in the conference left fans across the country focused on recruiting.

I remember the Cody Zeller recruiting frenzy and the feeling of pure joy on campus when he committed. Zeller caused the spark that ignited “The Movement” giving IU a reason to believe the future was not only bright, but blindingly optimistic. The Hoosiers started the season 8-0 and for the first time in the Tom Crean era expectations of an NCAA tournament appearance had merit.

I remember the day uncertainty left Bloomington. I remember when IU reclaimed it’s rightful place atop the college basketball world. I remember Tom Crean overcome with so much emotion he forgot how to smile. I remember Verdell Jones III driving to the basket and realizing he no longer had to score every point. I remember Christian Watford beating the number one Wildcats and the Assembly Hall floor being flooded with ecstatic Hoosiers. I remember history.

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