The Daily Hoosier
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • More Boogie Fland notes as his recruitment seems to be hitting the homestretch
    • Here’s what Maryland coach Mike Locksley said this week about IU football
    • Offensive snap count leaders for IU football through first third of season
    • Watch: IU football coordinator Q&A — Bell and Guerrieri, Maryland week
    • IU women’s basketball has the talent to contend for another Big Ten title
    • The Daily Hoosier Report: The Latest in IU News and Recruiting Notes (9/26)
    • Watch: IU football player Q&A — Jackson, Turner and Mangum-Farrar — Maryland week
    • National recruiting analyst says IU basketball has momentum with 5-star Boogie Fland
    • Sign Up
    • About/Support
    • Jobs
    • Tickets
      • IUBB Tickets (Stubhub)
      • IUFB Tickets (Stubhub)
    • Shop
      • Official IU Store
      • IU Adidas Store
      • Amazon: Support TDH
      • IU Memorabilia
      • IU Press (Books)
      • The Daily Hoosier T-Shirt
    • Radio/Podcasts
    • Pro IU
      • IUBB NBA
      • IUFB NFL
      • IUBASE MLB
    • Forum
      • Disqus Forum
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    The Daily HoosierThe Daily Hoosier
    Wednesday, September 27
    • IU Basketball
      • Latest IU Basketball News
      • IU Basketball 2023-24 Schedule
      • IU Basketball 23-24 Roster/Staff
      • Offseason Roster Activity Tracker
      • Scholarship Chart
      • Future Schedules
      • 2022-23 Big Ten Standings
      • 2022-23 IU Basketball Stats
      • Rankings & Bracketology
      • IU Basketball Media Guide
    • IU Football
      • Latest IU Football News
      • IU Football: The 2023 Schedule
      • Roster
      • 2023 IUFB Stats
      • 2023 B1G Standings
      • Future Opponents through 2031
      • IUFB 2023 Media Guide
    • IU Recruiting
      • IU Basketball Recruiting News
      • IU Football Recruiting News
      • IUBB 2024-2026 Prospects
      • Recruit Interviews
      • Recruit Highlights
      • CBB Team Rankings
      • IU Football Recruiting Commits
    • IU Women’s Basketball
      • IU Women’s Basketball News
      • 22-23 Schedule
      • Big Ten Standings
    • IU Men’s Soccer
      • 2022 schedule
      • 2022 NCAA Tournament Bracket
      • Indiana Men’s Soccer: Program History
    • More Hoosiers
      • Fan and Business NIL options
      • IU Baseball
        • Baseball Schedule (links to iuhoosiers.com)
        • 2021 Stats (links to iuhoosiers.com)
        • Big Ten Standings
      • IU Swim & Dive
      • IU Olympic Results
    • Hoosier History
      • March Madness Classics
      • Basketball History
      • Football History
      • IUFB Best Seasons
      • IUFB All-Time Top 10 Players
    The Daily Hoosier

    This Date in Hoosier History: Indiana Defeats Kansas for the 1940 National Title

    Mike SchumannBy Mike SchumannMarch 30, 2020 Basketball History No Comments
    IU players after winning the 1940 title. Credit - IU Archives
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    March 30, 1940 — Kansas City, Missouri

    It was a night where icons were remembered, legends were made, and traditions began.

    The founder of the game of basketball, James Naismith died during the start of the 1939-40 season.  Before IU and Kansas played in the title game on this night there was a ceremony that paid tribute to Naismith.

    Although he’d invented the sport in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891, James Naismith had later claimed, “Basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport.”

    In 1898 Naismith was hired by Kansas to coach basketball and teach physical education.  One of his students was Phog Allen, who coached the Kansas basketball team from 1919 to 1956.  The Hoosiers knocked out Springfield on their way to the title game, which coincidentally was the very school where Naismith had invented the game.

    Indiana, Kansas and Naismith seemed intertwined, and the Hoosiers and Jayhawks, perhaps destined to play this game.

    The 1938-39 Hoosiers set the stage for the championship run. That sophomore led squad started the season with a 17-1 record before losing its final two games and finishing a game out of first place in the Big Ten.

    A year later IU once again finished in second place in the Big Ten, but because Indiana had swept first place Purdue, the NCAA Tournament invite was granted to the Hoosiers.

    At the 1940 national championship game, IU surprised the Jayhawks with their accurate shooting and up-tempo style.  Led by their 32 year old head coach Branch McCracken, the Hurryin’ Hoosiers ran away with a 60-42 victory, despite a heavily pro-Kansas crowd of 10,000 at the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium.

    Marvin Huffman and Jay McCreary led Indiana (20-3) with 12 points each. Huffman won the Most Outstanding Player award and was an All-American.  Bill Menke was also an All-American on this 1940 team.

    (Indiana is in the dark uniforms in the video below)

    BOX SCORE

    Video credit – Galen Clavio

    SEE ALSO:

    • March 14:  Indiana vs. Auburn (1987)
    • March 14:  Indiana vs. Maryland (1981)
    • March 17:  Four memorable games
    • March 18:  Indiana vs. Kansas (1953)
    • March 19:  Indiana vs. Kentucky (2016)
    • March 20:  Indiana vs. Duke (1987)
    • March 21:  Indiana vs. Duke (2002)
    • March 21:  Indiana vs. Purdue (1979)
    • March 21:  Indiana vs. LSU (1992)
    • March 22:  Indiana vs. North Carolina (1984)
    • March 22:  Indiana vs. LSU (1987)
    • March 23:  Indiana vs. Kent State (2002)
    • March 24:  Indiana vs. Temple (2013)
    • March 25:  Indiana vs. Louisville (1993)
    • March 26:  Indiana vs. Florida State (1992)
    • March 27:  Indiana vs. UCLA (1976)
    • March 28:  Indiana vs. UNLV (1987)
    • March 28:  Indiana vs. LSU (1981)
    • March 28:  Indiana vs. UCLA (1992)
    • March 29:  Indiana vs. Michigan (1976)
    • March 30:  Indiana vs. Kansas (1940)
    • March 30:  Indiana vs. North Carolina (1981)
    • March 30:  Indiana vs. Syracuse (1987)


    You can follow us on Twitter:  @daily_hoosier

    Find us on Facebook:  thedailyhoosier

    The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

    Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no additional cost to you.

    Share this:

    • Tweet

    Related

    Mike Schumann

    Keep Reading

    Big Ten men’s basketball 2023-24 outlooks: Michigan

    Watch: IU basketball sophomore guard C.J. Gunn — media day Q&A

    Kaleb Banks “super surprised” IU booked his fellow Georgian Gucci Mane for Hoosier Hysteria

    Latest Hoosier News
    • More Boogie Fland notes as his recruitment seems to be hitting the homestretch
    • Here’s what Maryland coach Mike Locksley said this week about IU football
    • Offensive snap count leaders for IU football through first third of season
    • Watch: IU football coordinator Q&A — Bell and Guerrieri, Maryland week
    • IU women’s basketball has the talent to contend for another Big Ten title
    • The Daily Hoosier Report: The Latest in IU News and Recruiting Notes (9/26)
    • Watch: IU football player Q&A — Jackson, Turner and Mangum-Farrar — Maryland week
    Sign Up



    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    © 2023 The Daily Hoosier, LLC.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.