Back in the day, there was Knight
But the Ohio State-Indiana basketball rivalry has cooled in the absence of the combustible coach
Sunday, February 10, 2008 3:45 AM
By
Bill Rabinowitz
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
File Photo
Bob Knight's fiery attitude added heat to the Ohio State-Indiana rivalry.
File Photo
March 3, 1980: Indiana 76, Ohio State 73, OT - Ohio State's Herb Williams grabs the ball in front of teammate Clark Kellogg (33) and Indiana's Ray Tolbert. The Hoosiers clinched the Big Ten title that day in Bloomington.
File Photo
Jan. 4, 1987: Indiana 92, Ohio State 80 ?ƒ¢?‚?€?‚?“ The Buckeyes?ƒ¢?‚?€?‚?™ Jay Burson runs into a wall of Hoosiers defenders in Dean Garrett (22), Keith Smart (23) and Daryl Thomas.
"I would say it's not where it used to be. The biggest rivalry was when coach Knight was there." ~ Thad Matta, Ohio State coach, on the state of the OSU-Indiana series
"I'm not sure how to answer that question. I've been here one year and part of another year and have only played Ohio State once." ~ Kelvin Sampson, Indiana coach, on whether the Buckeyes are a top rival for the Hoosiers
By the numbers
ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD
Indiana leads 97-68
IN BLOOMINGTON, IND.
Indiana leads 59-20
IN COLUMBUS
Ohio State leads 47-33
NEUTRAL SITES
Indiana leads 5-1
Whether revered for his coaching ability or reviled for his behavior, Bob Knight has left a huge void in college basketball with his retirement Monday.
Only time can fully measure what his absence will mean, but one indication will be seen today in Value City Arena when 14th-ranked Indiana plays Ohio State. The once-torrid rivalry between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers has cooled considerably since Knight's acrimonious departure from Bloomington in 2000 after 29 seasons and three national championships.
Today's game remains a big game. It is just not a
big game. When Knight coached against his alma mater, it was always an italics-worthy game. Indiana was a perennial national power, Ohio State an occasional one.
Buckeyes radio analyst Ron Stokes, who played against Knight in the 1980s, recalled a 1991 game in St. John Arena in which Ohio State was ranked No. 2 and Indiana No. 4.
"When I walked in the building, I felt an electricity," Stokes said. "It was truly special."
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