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Greatest shot in IU history ?


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2 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Without a doubt it would be Smart's shot because it was for a championship.

I can agree with you, based on a NC.  However, in Wat's case... IU was not ranked when we beat a number one ranked team.  And which most likely led to UK not agreeing to play IU again.

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I watched both shots live as it happened on TV and I'd go with Smart. I will say I appreciated Watford's shot more, simply because when Smart hit the shot to beat Syracuse I was a young kid and just thought that was the natural outcome, that my teams would just make the shot and win. By the time Watford hit his shot, well reality had smacked me in the face quite a few times by that point so the pure emotion was stronger.

If IU ever hangs that 6th banner, I know I will appreciate it and be more emotional about it than I was the 5th banner. 

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1 minute ago, NCHoosier32 said:

Smart without a doubt.  Only people who would argue that are those who are too young to have been around at that time.  Watford's shot was great, but in a way, pretty much a meaningless game other than beating KY as underdogs.  

The WatShot was the last Great Moment in IU basketball.  Although i agree that Smart's shot was more important, that was 33 year ago, i would say it doesn't resonate with a large part of the fanbase.  I was 13 and remember watching the game with dad in 87.  Was awesome

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In the case of Keith Smart, he hit the go-ahead shot which eventually became game-winning, but Syracuse did have another possession... and who knows what would have happened in that game had a timeout been called and afforded to Syracuse with 4 seconds remaining to where they could actually put together a play. Christian Watford's shot was a chips are all-in, walk-off homerun type shot. I won't fault anyone choosing Smart here as it led to a chip, but am strictly basing my decision on the merit of the scenario. I was sitting next to an elderly Jack Wright who popped up off his chair and pumped his fist in the air when Watford drained that 3-ball...for someone that played on the '53 team, I'd say he found that to be a great shot.

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Smart, Watford get their rightful place. One for a title and another signalling (we thought) a return to promised land.....but Edwards hit about 3-4 shots in 89 that I'd like to mention. Obviously the game winner vs Michigan, shot vs Illinois (don't need to mention what happened after) and few others during that 89 run. He was a human highlight machine all season.

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10 hours ago, milehiiu said:

Keith Smart's shot to win a NC ?

Keith Smart 1987 "The Shot" 

or ....Watford's shot to beat a number one ranked team ?

Christian Watford's Shot at the Buzzer to Beat No. 1 Kentucky 

Smart by a mile (a thousand miles).

Watfords shot was beyond exciting, and the program needed a shot in the arm like that, but it was a REGULAR SEASON home game....I don’t see any regular season home-win banners in the Hall. No comparison to making a shot to win a national championship. 

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Yeah, Smart's shot simply for the fact it delivered a National Championship...The fact that it made Billy Packer whine "Nobody stopped the clock...nobody stopped the clock!" was a cherry on the sundae...

Dan Shulman's call of Christian's shot was an all-time classic..."YES!!!!!"

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46 minutes ago, Wafflehead_Fred said:

In the case of Keith Smart, he hit the go-ahead shot which eventually became game-winning, but Syracuse did have another possession... and who knows what would have happened in that game had a timeout been called and afforded to Syracuse with 4 seconds remaining to where they could actually put together a play. Christian Watford's shot was a chips are all-in, walk-off homerun type shot. I won't fault anyone choosing Smart here as it led to a chip, but am strictly basing my decision on the merit of the scenario. I was sitting next to an elderly Jack Wright who popped up off his chair and pumped his fist in the air when Watford drained that 3-ball...for someone that played on the '53 team, I'd say he found that to be a great shot.

Welcome back !

Geez.  We had Jaybob Hoosier. And Natural Hoosier join us a few weeks back. Now.. you are back.  It's starting to feel like old times again. 

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Of the two choices presented, Smart’s shot, for reasons already given.

 For arguments sake, I’d make the case that Benson’s tip-in versus Michigan that saved the undefeated season was the greatest shot in our history . We had won national championships before Smart’s game winner, and beaten UK numerous times. Had never been undefeated before 75-76, and no ones done it since. Had Benson not been there to save that game, we would be lumped in with a bunch of other 1 loss teams who won a championship. Historians would reference back to UCLA as the last team to go unblemished. That IU team would be an afterthought to most not associated with our fan base.

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3 minutes ago, Steubenhoosier said:

Of the two choices presented, Smart’s shot, for reasons already given.

 For arguments sake, I’d make the case that Benson’s tip-in versus Michigan that saved the undefeated season was the greatest shot in our history . We had won national championships before Smart’s game winner, and beaten UK numerous times. Had never been undefeated before 75-76, and no ones done it since. Had Benson not been there to save that game, we would be lumped in with a bunch of other 1 loss teams who won a championship. Historians would reference back to UCLA as the last team to go unblemished. That IU team would be an afterthought to most not associated with our fan base.

Ha! I was just trying to remember who made that shot.  While IMO still not as big as Smart's shot, I'd argue that the undefeated season (still the last one in 45 years) is bigger than winning a home game against the cheaters.

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1 hour ago, Steubenhoosier said:

Of the two choices presented, Smart’s shot, for reasons already given.

 For arguments sake, I’d make the case that Benson’s tip-in versus Michigan that saved the undefeated season was the greatest shot in our history . We had won national championships before Smart’s game winner, and beaten UK numerous times. Had never been undefeated before 75-76, and no ones done it since. Had Benson not been there to save that game, we would be lumped in with a bunch of other 1 loss teams who won a championship. Historians would reference back to UCLA as the last team to go unblemished. That IU team would be an afterthought to most not associated with our fan base.

I was also going to bring up Benson’s tip. I was at the game, as an IU freshman, and we had seats right behind the basket where Benson made the tip-in after Crew’s miss. We were murmuring “there goes the undefeated season” and then he made that shot to send the game into overtime. Place went absolutely bonkers.....Agree with you in that there is a big difference between that team being a one loss national champion vs being the last undefeated champion.  

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Didn't Ricky Calloway make a big shot?  Without that shot maybe no Smart shot.

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/this-date-in-hoosier-history-indiana-defeats-lsu-to-advance-to-1987-final-four/#:~:text=After Ricky Calloway led Indiana with 21 points,ever have a chance for his game-winning shot.

I still vote Smart. I was at that game so none bigger for me. 

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5 minutes ago, ATX_sig said:

Didn't Ricky Calloway make a big shot?  Without that shot maybe no Smart shot.

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/this-date-in-hoosier-history-indiana-defeats-lsu-to-advance-to-1987-final-four/#:~:text=After Ricky Calloway led Indiana with 21 points,ever have a chance for his game-winning shot.

I still vote Smart. I was at that game so none bigger for me. 

Yes he did

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8 hours ago, NCHoosier32 said:

I honestly can't even entertain the arguments for Watford's shot or the Jay Edwards shots that were games we don't even remember.  They were amazing shots and great moments, but Benson's tip is at least a better argument.    

That was really early in my awareness of Indiana basketball.  I was a 4th grader and had just started playing competitive basketball for my school with the 5th grade team (we were a really small school).  I remember well how stressed out my dad was about that game. 😂  We lived and died by Indiana basketball that season.

Yes, that tip was a huge, huge shot.

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On 7/12/2020 at 10:48 AM, Steubenhoosier said:

Of the two choices presented, Smart’s shot, for reasons already given.

 For arguments sake, I’d make the case that Benson’s tip-in versus Michigan that saved the undefeated season was the greatest shot in our history . We had won national championships before Smart’s game winner, and beaten UK numerous times. Had never been undefeated before 75-76, and no ones done it since. Had Benson not been there to save that game, we would be lumped in with a bunch of other 1 loss teams who won a championship. Historians would reference back to UCLA as the last team to go unblemished. That IU team would be an afterthought to most not associated with our fan base.

Thanks for reminding me, since I was at that game.   😊

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On 7/12/2020 at 1:39 AM, IowaHoosierFan said:

i was more emotionally involved in the WatShot but winning a national title is well, tops.

I was extremely emotionally involved in both 

- a junior at IU watching Smart hit The Shot at the Student Union

- a dad driving home from a soccer game with my oldest listening to the game live, going crazy in the car (managed not to have an accident), and then watching it on DVR when we got home 

Agree nothing beats a championship shot, but otherwise Wat’s was more exciting 

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