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Indiana NCAA Tournament History: Year-by-Year Results

Despite missing out on the NCAA Tournament in 2024, Indiana ranks well into the top-10 in just about every category when it comes to NCAA Tournament success, led by its five national title and eight Final Four appearances. Here is a complete list of every Indiana game in the the NCAA Tournament, dating all the way back to 1940.

Author:
Tom Brew
Mar 17, 2024 4:03 PM EDT

In this story:

Indiana Hoosiers

Updated March 17, 2024, 7 a.m. ET

Indiana has a glorious history in the NCAA Tournament, but they won't be adding to it in 2024. The Hoosiers finished their season with a 19-14 record and won't be getting an invitation to the Big Dance.

They've been there 42 times before though, including twice in the past three years under coach Mike Woodson. Woodson also played in the tournament while at Indiana, in 1978 and 1980.

Indiana has won five national championships, and have been to eight Final Fours. During that time, they've won 69 NCAA games, all ranking in the top-10 in college basketball history.

Here is a complete list of every Indiana game in the NCAA Tournament, dating all the way back to 1940, the year the Hoosiers won their first NCAA crown.

1940

Eastern Regional, Indianapolis, Ind.
March 20: Indiana 48, Springfield 24
March 21: Indiana 39, Duquesne 30

NCAA Championship Game, Kansas City, Mo.
March 30 Indiana 60, Kansas 42.
Notes: Indiana wins first NCAA championship under coach Branch McCracken. Purdue won the Big Ten title that year but declined the NCAA Tournament bid, so Indiana went instead.

1953

East Regional, Chicago, Ill.
March 13: Indiana 92, DePaul 80
March 14: Indiana 79, Notre Dame 66

NCAA Final Four, Kansas City, Mo.
March 17: Indiana 80, LSU 67
March 18: Indiana 69, Kansas 68.
Notes: Indiana wins second NCAA championship under coach Branch McCracken.

1954

East Regional, Iowa City, Iowa
March 12: Notre Dame 65, Indiana 64
March 13: Indiana 73, LSU 62 (consolation game)

1958

Mideast Regional, Lexington, Ky.
March 14: Notre Dame 94, Indiana 87
March 15: Indiana 98, Miami of Ohio 91 (consolation game)

1967

Mideast Regional, Evanston, Ill.
March 17: Virginia Tech 79, Indiana 70
March 18: Indiana 51, Tennessee 44 (consolation game)

1973

Mideast Regional, Nashville, Tenn.
March 15: Indiana 75, Marquette 69
March 17: Indiana 72, Kentucky 65

NCAA Final Four, St. Louis, Mo.
March 24: UCLA 70, Indiana 59
March 25: Indiana 97, Providence 79 (consolation game)
Notes: Indiana appears in third Final Four, the first for second-year coach Bob Knight.

1975

Mideast Region First Round, Lexington, Ky.
March 15: Indiana 78, UTEP 53

Mideast Regional, Dayton, Ohio
March 20: Indiana 81, Oregon State 71
March 22: Kentucky 92, Indiana 90

1976

Mideast Region First Round, South Bend, Ind.
March 13: Indiana 90, St. John's 70

Mideast Regional, Baton Rouge, La.
March 18: Indiana 74, Alabama 69
March 20: Indiana 65, Marquette 56

NCAA Final Four, Philadelphia, Pa.
March 27: Indiana 65, UCLA 51
March 29: Indiana 86, Michigan 68.
Notes: Indiana wins third NCAA title, the first for coach Bob Knight, and appears in fourth Final Four. It was Knight's second Final Four in four years.

1978

East Regional First Round, Charlotte, N.C.
March 12: Indiana 63, Furman 62

East Regional, Providence, R.I.
March 17: Villanova 61, Indiana 60
Notes: These were Mike Woodson's first NCAA Tournament games as a player at Indiana. During his sophomore year, he had 26 points in the win over Furman, and 24 in the last-second loss to Villanova.

1980

Mideast Regional Second Round, Bowling Green, Ky.
March 9: Indiana 63, Virginia Tech 62

Mideast Regional, Lexington, Ky.
March 13: Purdue 76, Indiana 69
Notes: It is the only time Indiana has played Purdue in the NCAA Tournament, and it was Mike Woodson's final game as a player at Indiana.

1981

Mideast Regional Second Round, Dayton, Ohio
March 14: Indiana 99, Maryland 64

Mideast Regional, Bloomington, Ind.
March 20: Indiana 87, UAB 72
March 22: Indiana 78, St. Joseph's 46

NCAA Final Four, Philadelphia, Pa.
March 28: Indiana 67, LSU 49
March 30: Indiana 63, North Carolina 50
Notes: Indiana wins its fourth NCAA title, and Bob Knight wins his second as coach at Indiana. Isiah Thomas is named the tournament's Most Outsanding Player.

Indiana guard Isiah Thomas (11) led the Hoosiers to a national title in 1981 as a sophomore. (USA TODAY Sports)

1982

Mideast Regional First/Second Rounds, Nashville, Tenn.
March 11: Indiana 94, Robert Morris 62
March 13: UAB 80, Indiana 70.
Notes: Indiana was a No. 5 seed that season as lost as the lower seed to No. 4 UAB.

1983

Mideast Regional Second Round, Evansville, Ind.
March 20: Indiana 63, Oklahoma 49
March 22: Kentucky 64, Indiana 59
Notes: Indiana was the No. 2 seed in the regional and got a first-round bye. The Hoosiers lost to Kentucky for the second time in eight years in the NCAA, then tied for the most NCAA losses to one team with Notre Dame.

1984

East Regional Second Round, Charlotte, N.C.
March 17: Indiana 75, Richmond 67
East Regionals, Atlanta Ga.
March 22: Indiana 72, North Carolina 68
March 24: Virginia 50, Indiana 48
Notes: - Indiana was a No. 4 seed and got a break when No. 5 Auburn led by Hall of Famer Charles Barkley was upset by Richmond. The Hoosiers advanced to take on No. 1-ranked North Carolina, and this was the famous Dan Dakich. game, where he led the Hoosiers' defensive effort in shutting down the goat, Michael Jordan. Indiana lost in the regional final to No. 7 season Virginia.

1986

East Regional First Round, Syracuse, N.Y.
March 14: Cleveland State 83, Indiana 79
Notes: Indiana was a No. 3 seed and lost to No. 14 seed Cleveland State. It was the lowest seed to ever beat an Indiana team.

1987

Midwest Regionals First/Second Rounds, Indianapolis, Ind.
March 12: Indiana 92, Fairfield 58
March 14: Indiana 107, Auburn 90
Midwest Regional, Cincinnati, Ohio
March 20: Indiana 88, Duke 82
March 22: Indiana 77, LSU 76
NCAA Final Four, New Orleans, La.
March 28: Indiana 97, UNLV 93
March 30, Indiana 74, Syracuse 73
Notes: The Hoosiers were a No. 1 seed and got to play their first four games close to home with thousands of IU fans in the stands. Steve Alford was the team MVP, and Keith Smart hit the game-winning shot over Syracuse to win the title. It was Bob Knight's third national championship, and the Hoosiers' fifth title overall.

1988

East Regional, First Round, Hartford, Conn.
March 18: Richmond 72, Indiana 69
Notes: Indiana was a No. 4 seed that season, and the loss to No. 13 Richmond was their second loss to a double-digit seed in three years.

1989

West Regional First/Second Rounds, Tucson, Ariz.
March 17: Indiana 99, George Mason 85
March 19: Indiana 92, Texas-El Paso 69
West Regional, Denver, Colo.
March 23: Seton Hall 78, Indiana 65
Notes: Indiana was the No. 2 seed in the West, and lost to No. 3 seed Seton Hall in the regional semifinals.

1990

East Regional, First Round, Hartford, Conn.
March 15: California 65, Indiana 63
Notes: Indiana was a No. 8 seed and lost to No. 9 seed California.

1991

Southeast Regional, First/Second Rounds, Louisville, Ky.
March 14: Indiana 79, Coastal Carolina 69
March 16: Indiana 82, Florida State 60
Southeast Regional, Charlotte, N.C.
March 21: Kansas 83, Indiana 65
Notes: Indiana was a No. 2 seed and lost to No. 3-seed Kansas in the regional semifinals.

1992

West Regional First/Second Rounds, Boise, Idaho
March 19: Indiana 94, Eastern Illinois 55
March 21: Indiana 89, LSU 79
West Regional, Albuquerque, N.M.
March 26: Indiana 85, Florida State 74
March 28: Indiana 106, UCLA 79
NCAA Final Four, Minneapolis, Minn.
April 4: Duke 81, Indiana 78
Notes: Indiana was the No. 2 seed in the West, and beat No. 1 UCLA in the regional final. Indiana lost to Duke in the national semifinals, and to this day, many Indiana fans blame referee Teddy Valentine for the loss. It was Bob Knight's fifth Final Four, and his first loss in the NCAAs to former player Mike Krzyzewski.

1993

Midwest Regional First/Second Rounds, Indianapolis, Ind.
March 19: Indiana 97, Wright State 54
March 21: Indiana 73, Xavier 70
Midwest Regional, St. Louis, Mo.
March 25: Indiana 82, Louisville 69
March 27: Kansas 83, Indiana 77
Notes: Indiana was a No. 1 seed in the region and lost to No. 2 seed Kansas in the regional final. That was the year Indiana won the Big Ten with a 17-1 record but lost Alan Henderson late in the season to a knee injury.

1994

East Regional First/Second Rounds, Landover, Md.
March 18: Indiana 84, Ohio 72
March 20: Indiana 67, Temple 58
East Regional, Miami, Fla.
March 25: Boston College 77, Indiana 68
Notes: Indiana was the No. 5 seed and got to the Sweet 16 with an upset win over No. 4 Temple. They got a break after No. 9 Boston College upset No. 1 North Carolina, but the Hoosiers played poorly in the regional semifinals and were upset by Boston College.

1995

West Regional First Round, Boise, Idaho
March 17, Missouri 65, Indiana 60
Notes. Indiana was a No. 9 seed that year.

1996

Southeast Regional First Round, Orlando, Fla.
March 15: Boston College 64, Indiana 51
Notes: Indiana was a No. 6 seed, and lost to No. 11 Boston College. It was the third time that Bob Knight had lost to a double-digit seed in the first round.

1997

East Regional First Round, Winston-Salem, N.C.
March 13: Colorado 80, Indiana 62.
Notes: Indiana was a No. 9 seed and lost to No. 8 Colorado.

1998

East Regional First/Second Round, Washington, D.C.
March 12: Indiana 94, Oklahoma 87
March 14: Connecticut 78, Indiana 61
Notes: Indiana entered the tournament as a No. 7 seed and lost to No. 2 seed Connecticut in the second round.

1999

South Regional First/Second Round, Orlando, Fla.
March 11: Indiana 108, George Washington 88
March 13: St. John's 86, Indiana 61
Notes: Indiana was a No. 6 seed and lost to No. 3 St. John 's in the second round.

2000

East Regional First Round, Buffalo, N.Y.
March 17: Pepperdine 77, Indiana 57
Notes: Indiana was a No. 6 seed and lost to No. 11 Pepperdine. It was the fourth time that Bob Knight had lost to a double-digit seed in the first round. It was his final NCAA Tournament game at Indiana. He would be fired six months later.

2001

West Regional First Round, San Diego, Calif.
March 15: Kent State 77, Indiana 73.
Notes. Indiana entered as a No. 4 seed in Mike Davis' first season as head coach and were upset by No. 13 Kent State.

2002

South Regional First/Second Rounds, Sacramento, Calif.
March 14: Indiana 75, Utah 56
March 16: Indiana 76, UNC-Wilmington 67
South Regional, Lexington, Ky.
March 21: Indiana 74, Duke 73
March 23: Indiana 81, Kent State 69
NCAA Final Four, Atlanta, Ga.
March 30: Indiana 73, Oklahoma 64
April 1: Maryland 64, Indiana 52
Notes: Indiana entered the tournament as a No. 5 seed and knocked off No. 1 Duke in the regional semifinals and avenged the 2001 loss to Kent State to advance to the Final Four, the eighth in school history, and the first for Mike Davis. They lost in the final to Maryland, a fellow Big Ten team now that was still in the ACC in 2002.

2003

Midwest Regional First/Second Rounds, Boston, Mass.
March 21: Indiana 67, Alabama 62
March 23: Pittsburgh 74, Indiana 52
Notes: Indiana was a No. 7 seed in the Midwest and lost to No. 2 seed Pittsburgh in the second round.

2006

Oakland Regional First/Second Rounds, Salt Lake City, Utah
March 16: Indiana 87, San Diego State 83
March 18: Gonzaga 90, Indiana 80
Notes: Indiana was a No. 6 seed and lost to No. 3 seed Gonzaga in the second round. It was Mike Davis' final game as head coach at Indiana

2007

West Regional First/Second Rounds, Sacramento, Calif.
March 15: Indiana 70, Gonzaga 57
March 17: UCLA 54, Indiana 49
Notes: Indiana was a No. 7 seed and lost to No. 2 seed UCLA in the second round in Kelvin Sampson's first season as the Hoosiers' head coach.

2008

East Regional First Round, Raleigh, N.C.
March 21: Arkansas 86, Indiana 72
Notes: Indiana was coached by Dan Dakich in this game as an interim coach after Kelvin Sampson was fired late in the season. Indiana was a No. 8 seed, Arkansas No. 9.

2012

South Regional, First/Second Round, Portland, Ore.
March 15: Indiana 79, New Mexico State 66
March 17: Indiana 63, VCU 61
South Regional, Atlanta, Ga.
Kentucky 102, Indiana 90
Notes: Indiana entered as a No. 4 seed in Tom Crean's first NCAA Tournament as Indiana's coach. They beat double-digit seeds in the first week, but lost to No. 1-seed Kentucky in the regional semifinals. Indiana had beaten Kentucky in Bloomington earlier that year on Christian Watford's game-winning shot at the buzzer.

2013

East Regional First/Second Rounds, Dayton, Ohio
March 22: Indiana 83, James Madison 62
March 24: Indiana 58, Temple 52
East Regional, Washington, D.C.
March 28: Syracuse 61, Indiana 50
Notes: Indiana was the No. 1 seed in the East after winning the Big Ten, but lost to No. 4 seed in the regional semifinals, struggling to score against its zone defense. Tom Crean's team was ranked No. 1 in the country for 10 weeks that season, the first time holding the top spot since 1993.

Indiana forward Cody Zeller (40) drives against Syracuse center Baye Keita (12) during the first half of the semifinals of the East regional of the 2013 NCAA Tournament in Washington, D.C. (Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

2015

Midwest Regional First Round, Omaha, Neb.
March 20: Wichita State 81, Indiana 76
Notes: Indiana was a No. 10 seed and lost to No. 7 seed Wichita State.

2016

East Regional First/Second Round, Des Moines, Iowa
March 17: Indiana 99, Chattanooga 74
March 19: Indiana 73, Kentucky 67
East Regional, Philadelphia, Pa.
March 25: North Carolina 101, Indiana 86
Notes: Indiana upset No. 4 seed Kentucky to get to the second week, but lost to top seed North Carolina in what would be Tom Crean's final NCAA Tournament game at Indiana.

2022

First Four, Dayton Ohio
March 15: Indiana 66, Wyoming 58
East Regional First Round, Portland, Ore.
March 17: Saint Mary's 82, Indiana 53
Notes: Indiana made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years in the first year with Mike Woodson at the helm, and won a game in Dayton in front of a huge home crowd. They were a No. 12 seed, and lost to No. 5 Saint Mary's.

2023

Midwest Regional First/Second Rounds, Albany, N.Y.
March 17: Indiana 71, Kent State 60
March 19: Miami 85, Indiana 69
Notes: Indiana made its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance under Mike Woodson, and earned a No. 4 seed in the Midwest Regional after finishing tied for second in the Big Ten. They were upset by No. 5 seed Miami, who made it all the way to the Final Four

Indiana NCAA Tournament by the numbers

Years in tournament: 42 (sixth all-time)
Overall record: 69-36 (seventh all-time in wins)
National championships: 5 (tied for fourth all-time)
Title game appearances: 6 (sixth all-time)
Final Four appearances: 8 (tied eighth all-time)
Record in national championship games: 5-1
Record in Final Four games: 11-3
Record in regional finals: 8-3
Consolation games record: 4-0
Losses to higher seeds: 21
Losses to lower seeds: 15
Losses to double-digit seeds: 5 (No. 14 Cleveland State 1986, No. 13 Richmond 1988, No. 11 Boston College 1996, No. 11 Pepperdine 2000, No. 13 Kent State 2001)
Losses as a No. 1 to a No. 2: Kansas 1993
Losses as a No. 1 to a No. 4: Syracuse 2013
Losses as a No. 2 to a No. 3: Kentucky 1983, Seton Hall 1989, Kansas 1991
Losses as a No. 3 to a No. 14: Cleveland State 1986
Losses as No. 4 to a No. 5: Miami 2023
Losses as No. 4 to a No. 7: Virginia 1984
Losses as No. 4 to a No. 13: Richmond 1988, Kent State 2001
Losses as No. 5 to a No. 9: Boston College 1994
Losses as No. 6 to a No. 11: Boston College 1996, Pepperdine 2000)
Losses as a No. 8 to a No. 9: California 1990, Arkansas 2008