Watch: Indiana Cheerleaders Get Creative to Recover Ball Stuck Behind Backboard

Indiana men’s basketball has had much brighter moments than on Thursday night, falling to Saint Mary’s in blowout fashion, 82–53. The IU cheerleaders, however, did their job and more.

Early in the second half, the ball bounced over the backboard, getting stuck in a precarious position under the shot clock. An official tried to position a chair underneath the ball and dislodge the ball with a placard, but to no avail. 

Gaels players considered trying to jump from underneath to dislodge it, but the Hoosiers cheerleaders had a brighter idea. In stepped the duo of Nathan Paris and Cassidy Cerny to save the day.

Paris lifted Cerny, who was able to retrieve the ball with an ease that no seven-footer would have found. It is no exaggeration to say that this was IU’s play of the night.

Unfortunately for IU, the ball didn’t find any Hoosier magic during it’s rest behind the backboard. Saint Mary’s cruised in the second half, avoiding the ever-dangerous No. 5 vs. No. 12 seed upset.

The Gaels will face the winner of tonight’s UCLA-Akron game on Saturday.