Indiana Basketball: Top 10 games of the decade, #4

As the Indiana basketball team rolls into the new decade its time to take a look back over the past ten years. We rank the top ten games of the decade and today we look at number four.

We continue on with our countdown of the top ten games of the decade. Today we look back at the beginning fo the 2016-17 season. The Hoosiers had high hopes for the year and after the first game, they were sky-high. The season didn’t end up the way the Hoosiers wanted it to, but this game was a sign off what could have been.

We look at game number four on our countdown.

Indiana 103 Kansas 99 – OT

Armed Forces Classic – Honolulu, HI

Indiana entered the 2016-17 season with high expectations after a Sweet 16 appearance the year before. They were ranked 11th in the preseason AP Poll. The Hoosiers lost Yogi Ferrell from the year before but were bringing back the core of the team.

They were tested right away when they traveled to Hawaii to take on the third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks in the Armed Forces Classic. It was the first time the Jayhawks opened their season on away from Allen Fieldhouse in 15 years.

In a battle of two top 15 teams, this game definitely lived up to the billing. The teams would go back and forth throughout the whole game. The only thing slowing either team down was the number of fouls called during the game. The teams would combine to shoot 74 free throws.

Kansas would lead by four at the half and extend the lead to nine early in the second half before Indiana made their way back. Just four minutes after the Jayhawks led by nine the Hoosiers had the game tied again.

It would continue to go back and forth for the rest of the second half. The last-minute was a crazy finish to a great game. Frank Mason III hit a layup with 39 seconds left to tie the game only to see James Blackmon Jr hit two free throws to take back the lead with 13 seconds left. It was short-lived though as Mason would hit two more free throws with two seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime.

The Hoosiers, though, would take control in overtime and never trailed. Blackmon would score seven points in overtime including a big three that put the Hoosiers up 97-93. Indiana would close them out and take away the big opening night win.

Another great thing about the game was the uniforms. It may not have been the classic looks for IU and Kansas, but watching a color vs color game is always great. It was a great visual game and a great game on the court.

Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, the season would not go the way they wanted to the rest of the way as they only made the NIT and lost in the first round. But for the one night, the Hoosiers looked like one of the best teams in the country.