Why Indiana basketball is still a coveted job despite decades of mediocrity

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - JANUARY 26: A general view as Myles Rice #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers attempts a shot while being guarded by Rodney Rice #1 of the Maryland Terrapins in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on January 26, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

When he left Marquette in 2008 to become the next head coach of an Indiana basketball program saddled with a depleted roster and crippling NCAA sanctions, Tom Crean required only two words to justify his decision. “It’s Indiana.” To Crean, Indiana was “the absolute pinnacle of all of college basketball,” a program with “incredible tradition.” … Read more