Can KU catch Hoosiers in all-time series? Indiana leads 8-7 entering Saturday’s game

College basketball historians will be paying close attention to Saturday’s Kansas-Indiana game at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

A victory by No. 2-ranked KU (9-1) over the unranked Hoosiers (7-2), in a game set to tip off a 11:30 a.m. Central Time, would even the all-time series between the basketball bluebloods at 8-8.

After losing the first six games between the teams, including setbacks in the NCAA championship game in both 1940 and ’53, Kansas has prevailed in seven of the last nine games in the series, including last season’s 84-62 win at Allen Fieldhouse.

To reach .500 status versus Indiana, KU must win its first-ever game in Assembly Hall, which in 2016 was officially renamed Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, where the Jayhawks are 0-3. KU last visited IU in December 1994, when Bob Knight’s Hoosiers ran away with an 80-61 decision over Roy Williams’ Jayhawks.

Here’s a look at games in the KU-IU series in no particular order, starting with last season’s 22-point KU victory:

KU 84, Indiana 62, Dec. 17, 2022, Lawrence: KU freshman Gradey Dick scored 20 points to pace the No. 8-ranked Jayhawks to a lopsided victory over No. 14 Indiana. Dick also had six rebounds and five steals. Jalen Wilson, Kevin McCullar and KJ Adams had 11 points apiece and Dajuan Harris 10 points, 10 assists and three steals.

Bobby Pettiford and Zuby Ejiofor had 10 and eight points respectively off the bench.

KU survived an incredible performance on defense from Trayce Jackson-Davis, who scored 13 points with nine blocked shots. The nine blocks were most by a KU opponent in history. Mo Bamba of Texas, Jordan Bell of Oregon and Shane Battier of Duke had eight blocks versus KU.

Jalen Hood-Schifino had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Hoosiers, who fell to 2-2 all-time in Allen Fieldhouse.

In the first half, Dick scored 13 points, Wilson had nine and Adams added seven as KU led 44-29 at the break. KU hit 17 of 28 shots (60.7%), in the half. The Jayhawks were 5-of-9 from 3 and 5-of-5 from the line.

Indiana hit 10 of 30 shots the first half for 33.3%. The Hoosiers were 5-of-14 from 3 and 4-of-4 from the line. The Hoosiers outscored KU 9-4 to open the second half and it was a 10-point game (48-38) at 16:06. Harris helped stretch the lead to 18 points (58-40) with 12:09 left. He scored six of KU’s 10 points in a 10-2 run.

The Hoosiers turned it over 23 times because of an aggressive KU defense that came up with 17 steals. Dick and McCullar each had five steals.

“I thought our activity defensively was terrific,” KU coach Bill Self said. “Granted, their point guard (Xavier Johnson who played just nine minutes) got hurt, obviously and that definitely hurt them. But our activity level was good. It was kind of a strange rotation out of our traps and they made us pay a few times but I think the traps were more beneficial than what hurt us.”

He applauded the shot-blocking prowess of Jackson-Davis.

“They just had a guy block every shot at the rim,” Self said. “I mean, we got the ball where we were going to go, but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a player that I’ve coached against this quicker off his feet than Trayce is. I mean, you’re wide open and he blocks it from nowhere. But we executed.”

Indiana coach Mike Woodson said: ““We just didn’t compete and that’s just kind of upsetting because this team — we were matched up from a statistical standpoint going into this game. We were a dead-even team, pretty much. And they came out and took it right to us and we didn’t respond.”

KU 86, IU 83 (OT), Dec. 22, 1993, Lawrence: McDonald’s All-American point guard Jacque Vaughn, in just the 11th game of his college career, drilled a game-winning 3 with 0.2 seconds left in overtime to propel No. 6-ranked KU to victory over No. 12 Indiana.

Vaughn accepted an inbounds pass at 3/4 court with 18.3 seconds to play following a three by IU’s Damon Bailey that tied the game at 83.

Vaughn reached halfcourt at 0:16 and dribbled in front of KU coach Williams near the KU bench. Vaughn took several steps back and, with 7.9 seconds remaining, made his move all the way to the opposite side of the court, where he stopped just a step behind the 3-point stripe.

Instead of passing, Vaughn went straight up and released a 3 over the arms of IU’s Todd Leary with 2.7 seconds to play. Showing perfect form, Vaughn swished the three at 0.2 seconds. IU had time to inbound a desperation heave that was broken up at midcourt as the buzzer sounded. The Jayhawks had defeated the Hoosiers thanks to the heroics of Vaughn, now head coach of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.

“I think I’ll remember that one for a long time,” Vaughn said last year to Nets media. “I was a little baby freshman without this beard. It ended up I didn’t want to turn the ball over and couldn’t get the ball to the seniors who were on the floor. “I ended up getting the ball to the right side and was guarded by I believe Damon Bailey (36 points that day, including 30 after halftime) who was highly regarded as a point guard.

“I ended up giving him a little pump fake and shot that thing and miraculously that thing went in.”

Vaughn — he scored 13 points on 3-of-8 shooting (2-of-4 threes) and dished five assists that day — was recruited heavily by Indiana.

“For sure,” Vaughn said of the Hoosiers showing interest. “I was in the same league (in California) as a guy named Richard Mandeville. He (Mandeville) started recruiting me on (the fact) we could go to Indiana together and that’s how I got Indiana in my top five. I had coach (Bob) Knight at my house for a visit but decided to go to Kansas.”

Damon Bailey made two free throws to start the overtime and give the Hoosiers a 72-70 lead. The teams traded baskets until KU’s Sean Pearson hit a three-pointer, Bailey missed a shot and KU senior Steve Woodberry connected with 30.2 seconds to play for an 83-80 Kansas lead.

Bailey tied it with his three which preceded Vaughn’s heroics. Woodberry had seven of his 13 points in overtime.

Richard Scott scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Patrick Richey added 12 points and Scot Pollard 10 points for KU. Meanwhile, Bailey, Alan Henderson and Pat Graham combined for 74 of IU’s 83 points.

KU 83, Indiana 77, March 27, 1993, St. Louis: This was one of the biggest victories in Williams’ 15 seasons at KU, as the Jayhawks prevailed in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional final at St. Louis Arena.

Indiana entered 31-3 and as the regional’s top-seeded team. The Jayhawks entered 28-6 and as a No. 2 seed. Scott scored 16 points, Eric Pauley had 13 and Rex Walters and Darrin Hancock scored 12 apiece. Adonis Jordan added 11 for KU.

IU’s Calbert Cheaney scored 22 points and grabbed nine boards, while Greg Graham contributed 23 points and Brian Evans had 10 points while playing with a broken thumb on his non-shooting hand.

This was a regional in which KU coach Williams kept the Jayhawks relaxed by bringing them to the banks of the Mississippi River to spit in the river for good luck before the Sweet 16 win over Louisville. The Jayhawks returned to the river before the IU game.

“The Mississippi River trick worked again,” Williams said after the Elite Eight game. “Thank goodness the Mississippi River runs all the way down to New Orleans (site of the Final Four). We’ll try it again down there.”

IU coach Knight said: “I really thought, without any question, Kansas was the better team. Mostly what we did was just hang in there.”

Indiana 103, KU 99 (OT), Nov. 11, 2016, Honolulu, Hawaii: Junior guard James Blackmon scored 22 of his 26 points after halftime as the No. 11-ranked Hoosiers tripped No. 3 Kansas in the season opener for both teams.

KU senior point guard Frank Mason, who scored 30 points with nine assists and seven rebounds, almost willed KU to victory in scoring the Jayhawks’ final 11 points of regulation. He hit 13 of 15 free throws, including a pair with two seconds to play to force overtime against a Tom Crean-coached IU team that trailed by as many as nine points the second half.

Blackmon scored seven of Indiana’s 14 points in overtime. He hit a 3-pointer from the right wing that gave Indiana a 97-93 lead. Blackmon scored IU’s final four points, including a dunk to conclude the scoring in a game in which there were 16 ties and 17 lead changes.

Thomas Bryant scored 19 points (with 10 rebounds), while Curtis Jones had 15 points. OG Anunoby added 13 for Indiana.

Devonté Graham scored 16 points for KU, while Carlton Bragg and Svi Mykhailiuk scored 12 apiece. KU went 30-of-38 from the free throw line to IU’s 26-of-36 from the line.

“We didn’t play well, but give Indiana credit. Their guards really got in the lane when they wanted to. We competed hard down the stretch, but physically they just beat us on the glass and made hard shots at the end of the clock,” KU coach Self said.

This Armed Forces Classic game was hosted by the Navy. It coincided with the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Indiana’s jerseys were inscribed with “Courage,” while the Kansas jerseys read “Honor.” Kansas coaches wore military-style boots for the game.

KU 83, Indiana 65, March 21, 1991, Charlotte, North Carolina: The No. 3-seeded Jayhawks clicked early against the No. 2 seed Hoosiers in a Southeast Regional Sweet 16 game at Charlotte Coliseum. KU scored the game’s first seven points and led 26-6 after eight minutes. The Jayhawks were ahead 49-27 at halftime and by 24 points early in the second half.

“I think our whole team was surprised that we got out to such a big lead,” said KU senior guard Terry Brown, who scored 11 of Kansas’ first 16 points and tied Indiana’s Cheaney with a game-high 23 points.

“I think it showed us that Indiana wasn’t as good as everyone said they were. It gave us a lot of confidence.”

KU outrebounded IU 42-23 (20-10 on offensive rebounds).

“My first comment would be not only how well they played, but how well they were prepared to play,” Knight said after the worst defeat for an Indiana team in 56 NCAA tournament games. “With about five minutes left in the first half, (ref) John Clougherty told me there was a screw loose on the floor. I said, ‘Can we start again tomorrow?’’’

Indiana 80, KU 61, Dec. 17, 1994, Bloomington: The unranked Hoosiers crushed the No. 3-ranked Jayhawks to the delight of 17,154 fans at Assembly Hall. Forward Brian Evans scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while forward Alan Henderson scored 22 points with 12 boards. Guard Neil Reed scored 14 points for IU, which outrebounded KU, 57-40.

Jerod Haase scored 16 points, while B.J. Williams had 11 points and Raef LaFrentz added 10 for KU. Vaughn scored eight points with eight assists and eight rebounds.

The Hoosiers rolled to a 48-25 halftime lead.

“I think Indiana was much more enthused, was much more aggressive, much more intense, and much more focused than we were,” KU coach Williams said. “Every phase of the game we had breakdowns, and in the first half they took advantage. ... Everything that could go wrong did.”

For some reason, IU coach Knight didn’t speak with reporters after that victory, sending an assistant coach to the interview room.

KU, 91, Indiana 83, Dec. 16, 1995, Kansas City: Forward Scot Pollard scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as No. 1-ranked Kansas prevailed at Kemper Arena. Forward Paul Pierce scored 21 points and secured eight rebounds, while Haase had 19 points, Vaughn had 14 points and forward LaFrentz scored 11 points.

Forward Evans led the Hoosiers with 26 points and six rebounds, while guard Reed had 18 points.

KU went on a 12-2 run to open the second half and grab a 19-point lead. IU would cut the deficit to seven points down the stretch.

“Coach Knight said he really likes our club and was interested in what I thought about their club. He’s always been very positive with me,” KU coach Williams said. “I respect him a great deal, I like him a great deal, and I try to steal more and more things from him every year, because I like the way they play.”

This game concluded a four-year, four-game series between the teams in which coach Williams’ KU teams won three of four from Knight’s IU teams.

KU 74, Indiana 69, Dec. 5, 1992, Indianapolis: Rex Walters and Jordan scored 16 points apiece, while Woodberry and Richard Scott had 13 points apiece in a game between No. 2 IU and No. 3 KU at the Hoosier Dome. Cheaney scored 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Matt Nover had 18 points and 10 boards and Bailey had 11 points for IU, which scored just four points in the game’s final six minutes.

KU won despite hitting just 40.6% of its shots, including 7 of 23 threes. IU was 5-of-14 from three and hit 45.5% overall.

Indiana 60, KU 42, March 30, 1940, Kansas City: The Hoosiers won the program’s first national title behind double-figure scoring from Marv Huffman (12), Jay McCreary (12), and Paul Armstrong (10). Bob Allen had 13 points and Howard Engleman 12 in the title game for KU.

Indiana 69, KU 68, March 18, 1953, Kansas City: Indiana prevented KU from winning consecutive NCAA titles. Don Schlundt scored 30-points and grabbed 10-rebound. Charley Kraak added a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double, while Bob ‘Slick’ Leonard tallied 12 points and hit the game-winning free throw. B.H. Born had 26 points and 15 rebounds and 13 blocks. Though unofficial it’s believed to be KU’s first triple double. Al Kelley had 20 points and six boards for KU. Jerry Alberts’ last-second baseline shot missed and KU fell in the 1953 title game.

Indiana 59, KU 56, Dec. 6, 1971, Bloomington: In just his third game as IU head coach, Bob Knight picked up his first-ever win against a ranked team with a 59-56 win over No. 14 Kansas. Steve Downing scored 22 points to lead the Hoosiers.

KU 71, Indiana 61, Dec. 29, 1981, New York: David Magley, who was Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1978, scored 32 points to pace KU to a win over the Hoosiers at Madison Square Garden in the consolation game of the ECAC Holiday Festival.

Indiana 72, Kansas 59, Dec. 5, 1973, Bloomington: Steve Green had 22 points to lead the Hoosiers.

In other games, Indiana won, 72-55 on Dec. 5, 1972 at Allen and again 74-70 in overtime on Dec. 4, 1974 in Allen.

IU’s Knight was 5-6 versus KU as Hoosier coach, while Branch McCracken was 2-0 and Tom Crean was 1-0. Williams was 5-1 versus IU. Ted Owens was 1-4 and Phog Allen was 0-2. Self is 1-1 versus IU as KU coach.