New Orleans Final Four Moments and the Tale of the 1987 Hoosiers

Prepare to be transported back to some of the most epic moments in Final Four history. We're revisiting the legendary 1982 championship game between Dean Smith and John Thompson, the moment of magic when Michael Jordan sank a game-winning shot, the ascension of the Big East Conference, and the infamous 1993 final, all amidst the buzzing backdrop of New Orleans. 

Then, allow us to guide you through the rollercoaster journey of Indiana Hoosiers' iconic 1987 season. We'll uncover the story behind the Big Trip documentary, revealing the origin of the team from their 37-day overseas sojourn to the thrilling run to the Final Four. We're bringing you exclusive stories from the coaches and players, along with a game-by-game breakdown of that unforgettable season. For any true basketball aficionado, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Before we get going with our look back at the iconic 1987 Final Four, I want to take a look back at New Orleans Final Four history. Thank you to the Chucker for his spot on research. When the Final Four comes to New Orleans, the Big Easy delivers. The Final Four returned to New Orleans in 2022 and it was the sixth time the Big Easy played host to College Basketball's season concluding drama.

Speaker 2: 0:32

In the Final Four's six previous visits to New Orleans, the college game didn't disappoint, delivering some of the most memorable moments in the March Bandit's history In 1982, when the Final Four came marching into New Orleans, the North Carolina fans, in the record crowd of 61,000, cheered when Michael Jordan's basket lifted the tar heels to the NCAA Championship. Four years later, the Final Four returned to the Superdome and produced a new NCAA record crowd and new heroics.

Speaker 4: 1:13

Half time 36, 526. Hello everyone, I'm Jim Nance. You know, in 1982, the Superdome was the site for one of the most memorable championship games ever played. Dean Smith of North Carolina won the national title that night and his good friend John Thompson of Georgetown was the runner up. I'm honored to have them both here joining me at Half Time. And Coach Smith. First of all, I'd like to know this is your first time back in the Superdome since that night in 1982. What magical memories come back for you here. Well, number one.

Speaker 5: 1:43

I have a better seat five years ago than I do now, but I think it was a great basketball game and I think I felt sorry for Georgetown because they were just might have been the best team that night and one of the best teams in the country, and both teams played very well.

Speaker 4: 1:57

Coach Thompson, you've been to the Final Four three times here in the 80s, but in 1982, that was your first visit. Much like Rick Petino and Jimmy Bihon today, how does the coach learn in his first experience at a Final Four?

Speaker 6: 2:08

I think that I don't know if there's any particular thing that you learn as much as the fact that you realize that this is the big competition. I think you work for it every year and you get here and it's just like being in the circuit for the first time when you're a kid. You're extremely excited about it. You have to sort of calm down 1982,.

Speaker 1: 2:26

the participants were Georgetown, Houston, louisville and North Carolina. The biggest question was could Georgetown, a program on the rise under head coach John Thompson, legitimize the fledgling Big East Conference and capture the crown behind dominant freshman center Patrick Ewing? In the semifinals, north Carolina defeated Houston 68-63 and Georgetown defeated Louisville 50-46. In the final, north Carolina won 63-62 over Georgetown. The most outstanding player was James Worthy. Over two games in New Orleans, the Tar Hills Junior Forward shot 20 of 27 from the field and scored 42 points, propelling North Carolina to the title. Oh yeah, there was that enduring image of a svelte North Carolina freshman named Mike Jordan hitting a 16-foot jumper from the left baseline with 16 seconds left to give North Carolina its second title in program history.

Speaker 3: 3:21

I was confident that Michael Jordan was going to show everybody that he was the best and that was the biggest moment in Michael's career. I'll tell you that right now too, that we're going to win this game right now. And all of a sudden the looks on everybody's face changed dramatically I mean dramatically and I thought, oh god, we're in good shape. Yet All of a sudden I was back to where I was and, sure enough, we run lineup. They weren't pressing us. We're getting the two game. We looked for the lob. It wasn't there. They did cover it. We got penetration and threw it on the back side to Michael and Michael made the jump shot. And I remember, as we were leaving the huddle, I was standing right beside Coach Smith and he patted Michael on the back and he said if you get it, knock it in Michael.

Speaker 1: 4:05

That shot also launched the legend of Michael Jordan the goat.

Speaker 7: 4:09

Measure of success and greatness in basketball University of North Carolina is not the awards and trophies, it's having a sandwich named after you. Let me give you an example. There is the sandwich named after Sam Perkins, there is the big Macadoo named after Bob Macadoo, Dean Smith has his Smithsonian, the Larry Miller filler. And, yes, there is now the Jordan sandwich. Please discuss why it was almost a tongue sandwich.

Speaker 1: 4:34

A final. For a fun fact, after nearly 40 years of awarding losers of the national semi-final game a shot at redemption in the third place game, the 1982 tournament was the first to ditch the consolation game.

Speaker 4: 4:46

A one point lead for Georgetown.

Speaker 8: 5:19

A final for a fun fact, after nearly 40 years of awarding losers of the national semi-final game the 1997 tournament was the first to ditch the consolation game.

Speaker 1: 5:54

All freshmen starting 5, claim redemption and turn the ever-questioned hype into unquestioned hardwood history. In the semifinal, north Carolina won 78-68 over Kansas and Michigan 81-78 over Kentucky. In the final, north Carolina won 77-71 over Michigan Most outstanding player, donald Williams, north Carolina sophomore guard, dropped 25 in both of the Tar Hales wins, going 15 for 23 from the field over two games. Then, during image after North Carolina's Pat Sullivan missed a free throw with 20 seconds remaining and the Tar Hales up two, michigan star Chris Weber corralled the rebound. After an obvious travel missed by the refs, weber rushed down court along the right side lane and directly in front of Michigan bench. Weber called for a timeout. Michigan didn't have. The resulting technical foul sent Williams to the line where he iced the game for North Carolina.

Speaker 7: 7:17

He got by with a walk and Jimmy calls the technique, he calls the timeout. He doesn't realize that's Michigan's too many and so it'll be a technical foul, north Carolina shooting and the ball A huge mental mistake.

Speaker 4: 7:34

Steve Fisher calls From a second national championship. The Fab Five comes up short again.

Speaker 8: 7:42

There you have it. North Carolina is the 1993 national champion.

Speaker 7: 7:48

Was anyone telling you to call the timeout, or did you hear the call timeout at that point? It seemed like you looked a little confused when you looked at the guys on the bench.

Speaker 6: 7:58

I don't remember.

Speaker 3: 8:00

Chris, not to belabor the point, but what was going through your mind when it happened?

Speaker 6: 8:04

It was 20 seconds left and I started juggling the ball. We're down by two and getting on our side of court. I picked up my jib and called the timeout. Whatever I did, that's what was going through my head, and it probably cost our team a game.

Speaker 1: 8:22

A final four. Fun fact the 1993 final four nearly made history as the first to feature four number one seeds. While Michigan, Kentucky and North Carolina all advanced as top seeds, Kansas a number two seed down, number one Indiana in the Midwest regional finals. To prevent a history making final four Hank Kak into the states, perfect the participants Kansas, Marquette, Syracuse and Texas. The biggest question could Syracuse head coach Jim Beheim, in a second trip to a New Orleans-based Final Four, finally win the big one and bring a national title back to his alma mater? In the semifinals Syracuse won 95-84 over Texas and Kansas defeated Marquette 94-61. In the final, Syracuse beat Kansas 81-78. The most outstanding player was Carmelo Anthony, the Syracuse freshman. Followed an efficient 33.14 rebound outing against Texas witha 20.10 rebound title game performance. The enduring image was Syracuse clinging to a three-point lead. In the closing seconds, Syracuse big man, Hakim Warke sprinted from the lane to the left corner, soared into the air and blocked a potential game tying three by Michael Lee.

Speaker 8: 9:43

Kansas has a shot miles to the right side. Heinrich to the top of the key. Heinrich, with four seconds, gives it up corner. Lee shot block. They have less than a second to go. It's not how tall, it's how long. And Warke got a piece of that.

Speaker 1: 10:00

Warke's effort remains among the most iconic defensive plays in NCAA tournament history. A Final Four fun fact En route to its national title, syracuse slayed one-third of the Big 12. The Orange recorded victories over Oklahoma State, oklahoma Texas and Kansas 2012. The participants Kansas, kentucky, louisville and Ohio State. The biggest question After years of bringing in top prospects and emerging as the king of the one-and-done era, could Kentucky coach John Calipari finally bring the Wildcats back to the college mountain top? The semifinals Kentucky 69-61 over Louisville and Kansas 64-62 over Ohio State. In the final, kentucky defeated Kansas 67-59. The most outstanding player was Anthony Davis. Kentucky's freshman sensation stuffed the stat sheet over Kentucky's two games in New Orleans with 24 points, 30 rebounds, seven assists and 11 blocks in bringing Big Blue Nation its first title in 14 years. Then, during image, take your pick of blocked or altered shots by Anthony Davis. The life Chicago bread big man dominated the game from the paint and never allowed Kansas to get on track as he disrupted any shot in his vicinity.

Speaker 8: 11:28

Many regard it as the most dominating defensive performance in title game history 13 years before and the superior team all season long was the superior team tonight and the Kentucky Coronation is complete Champions 2012.

Speaker 1: 12:29

A final. For Fun Fact, davis won most outstanding player honors despite only making one of his 10 shots in the championship game. That should tell you just how dominant the brow was on the defensive end. We'll be short with 2022. The J Hawks captured their fourth title in their tenth title game, their sixteenth final four. The most memorable performance was the North Carolina Tar Heels taking out the Duke Blue Devils in what was Coach K's final college basketball game. And finally, 1987, the participants Indiana, providence, syracuse and UNLV Bob Knight, rick Bettino, jim Bayheim and Jerry Tarkanian.

Speaker 1: 13:26

The biggest question could any of the three upstart programs in New Orleans Providence, syracuse or UNLV take down Mighty Indiana and Bob Knight? In the semifinals, indiana won 97 to 93 over UNLV and Syracuse 77 to 63 over Providence. In the final, indiana won 74 to 73 over Syracuse. The most outstanding player was Keith Smart. Though the Hoosiers sharpshooter Steve Alfred led Indiana in scoring in the final four, smart came up clutch in the title game against Syracuse with a 21 point performance that included the game-winning jumper and game-ceiling steel. The enduring image. Ah yes, smart's jumper from the right wing with five seconds remaining put the Hoosiers ahead by one Moments. Later, smart intercepted the resulting inbound pass from Syracuse and heaved the ball toward the ceiling in celebration. A Final Four fun fact 1987 was the first Final Four to feature the three-point shot, though Indiana, with all of its shooters, used it sparingly. And route to the title game. In New Orleans, the Hoosiers attempted only 15 shots from behind the arc over two games. By contrast, baylor launched 47 three-point attempts during its two games in the 2021 Final Four.

Speaker 1: 14:51

What made us pick 1987 as the place to start with iconic seasons is the coaches. Collin basketball, of course, has had its share of legendary players, but because their stints at the schools tend to be so short and these days oftentimes even shorter, the coaches were the mainstays, and 1987 featured this mixture of old and new coaches and coaches that had been around bringing new programs to the forefront, and it was just an example of how these personalities could capture the interest of the country. I also love the Superdome as a site for this Final Four and the seating is absolutely terrible. If you watch the broadcast from the Final Four, you'll see these $17 seats are a mile away. They have the court in the middle of the Superdome, so the sides are just an incredible distance. Even the good seats are set back such a length. One of the iconic images is Jerry Tarkanian running what seems to be a football field's length to get to the court because he had forgotten about how long the halftime was and Bob Knight was out there hustling the refs to get the second half started if they were there or not. It's also memorable because it starts for the Hoosiers, who are the eventual champions years before.

Speaker 1: 16:25

There is a documentary called the Big Trip that outlines how this team came together over the course of several years and as players in this era got to develop with their coach, with one another. There is a synchronicity that you can watch on the court where these guys know each other in a way that few college teams do anymore. They had the chance to build through adversity. They were the first team in Bob Knight's tenure that hadn't won a Big Ten title. They had been an underperforming group for the most part, even finishing below 500 one year in the Big Ten.

Speaker 1: 17:05

They take this trip in 85-86 and then build on it the next year, but get upset in the first round and we'll talk about that game as well Losing that first ground game Cleveland State and the ferocity that they play with in these final four games after. Overcoming that adversity and setting themselves up for this run in the tournament was really incredible. They were just able to play so many different styles. The running Rebels come in with this trademark style where they press and push the pace and Indiana just matched it. They didn't shy away from it or try to hold the ball, they outscored them. They beat them at their own game. I think maybe that kind of frustrated UNLV because they didn't seem to speed up.

Speaker 8: 17:54

Indiana.

Speaker 1: 17:55

But Indiana was able to play fast. So that's such a strange contrast where a team is able to score, but not in a hurried way. They just executed their way to that win and then, of course, in the final, just an incredible performance and an incredible ending. Could have gone either way, but it's one of those moments that you work for through the year to have the opportunity to make a play, to get that win.

Speaker 1: 18:24

We're really excited to start this journey with you. We're going to start with a trip talking about Indiana and their trip overseas 37 days they spent together and is the Batman origin story of this Hoosiers squad and then we'll take a look at the inflection point where they lose this first round game and setting up this season, this iconic season, and this run to the final four. And then we're going to get into our interviews with the players from the teams. We'll talk about the coaches and the stories of each team's season and finish up with recaps of all the games. We're so excited to start this journey and hope that you follow along with us. 1987, iconic seasons.