The Daily Hoosier
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Tom Allen has to find quick answers midseason as struggling offense threatens his job security
    • Watch: IU football’s Jackson, Moore, Camper, and Casey discuss win over Akron
    • IU football defeats Akron: Tom Allen postgame, highlights, final stats
    • IU football: Three quick reasons why the Hoosiers defeated Akron
    • IU basketball offers in-state 2025 guard Azavier Robinson
    • LIVE UPDATES: Indiana vs. Akron – (FINAL Indiana 29 – Akron 27)
    • IU football injury report for week four vs. Akron
    • Watch: IU basketball senior guard Anthony Leal — media day Q&A
    • 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
    Sunday, September 24
    • 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: Knight and Alford Lead Team USA in Front of Record Basketball Crowd

    Mike SchumannBy Mike SchumannJuly 9, 2019 Basketball History No Comments
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    It was dubbed “A Knight to Remember.”

    35 years later, it is a night that is difficult to imagine.

    Only in Indiana could the confluence of several factors combine to produce the largest ever indoor basketball crowd in history — for an exhibition game.

    Indiana head basketball coach Bob Knight was the head coach of Team USA in 1984, and before they headed to Los Angeles for the Olympic Games, his American squad played a series of exhibition games.

    On July 9, 1984, the stop was Indianapolis.

    Of course the locals wanted to see Knight and a Team USA roster that included IU star guard Steve Alford and Michael Jordan.

    But the opponent on this night was intriguing as well.  Facing Team USA would be a group of N.B.A. stars that included Indiana native Larry Bird, and former Hoosier stars Quinn Buckner and Isiah Thomas.

    Finally, the venue itself was part of the local appeal.  The game would mark the much anticipated first ever event at the Hoosier Dome.

    Image result for hoosier dome

    When it all came together, a capacity crowd of 67,596 broke the American attendance record at the time for a basketball game, and the world record at the time for an indoor basketball game.

    Perhaps equally as surprising today as the spectacle of the event itself was the outcome.

    Consisting entirely of college players, Team USA won the game 97-82.  Alford had seven assists in the game.

    Knight had no doubt that evening that an exhibition event of this magnitude was only possible in Indiana, telling the crowd this:

    ”I heard today that basketball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, and that is true,” Knight told the crowd. ”God had it invented there so we could import it to Indiana.”

    You can watch a recorded statement by President Reagan shown at the game, player introductions, and some of the action in the video below.

    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

    LIVE UPDATES: Indiana vs. Akron – (FINAL Indiana 29 – Akron 27)

    Recruiting note: 2024 guard Austin Swartz sets commitment date

    IU gives Mike Woodson a raise

    Latest Hoosier News
    • Tom Allen has to find quick answers midseason as struggling offense threatens his job security
    • Watch: IU football’s Jackson, Moore, Camper, and Casey discuss win over Akron
    • IU football defeats Akron: Tom Allen postgame, highlights, final stats
    • IU football: Three quick reasons why the Hoosiers defeated Akron
    • IU basketball offers in-state 2025 guard Azavier Robinson
    • LIVE UPDATES: Indiana vs. Akron – (FINAL Indiana 29 – Akron 27)
    • IU football injury report for week four vs. Akron
    Sign Up



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

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